Missouri bill aims to reinstate presidential primary, nixing caucuses

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Missouri's caucus voting system could end up being a short-lived era if new legislation passes this session.  

House Bill 126, sponsored by Republican Rep. Rudy Veit, R-Cole County, would reinstate the presidential preference primary in March of each presidential election year, nixing the caucus and returning voters to casting traditional private ballots. 

Buchanan County voters got a preview this past April of the nuances of the caucus, a system where voters had to gather at 10 a.m. on a Saturday at the courthouse to advocate for a candidate before voting publicly over several hours and rounds of voting. 

"With caucuses, (most) of the people don't have the opportunity to really participate ... our military people, your policemen, working parents with children," Veit, a member of the judiciary and general laws committees, said. "A lot of people don't want to be in front of people and get argumentative, they want to vote."

Election data showed a staggering difference in voter turnout between the primary and caucus in Buchanan County, with 126 votes cast in the April 2024 caucus compared with more than 9,500 Republican ballots in the 2020 primary. 

Statewide, caucus participation was less than 10% of total voter turnout of the last presidential primary.
Veit said the system led to confusion -- and in some counties, hostility -- among the voters who did attend, as many agreed to be delegates on the local level without realizing the process can take two to three days or longer once they proceed to districts and beyond.

"I was there. A lot of people didn't even have a clue what it was about, a couple ringleaders, you know, got everybody signed up," he said. "At the national level, if you want to go, the rooms this year were like $4,000 for the whole week. Most people can't afford that."

Overall, he called the presidential primary a stronger method for voters to let their voices be heard through a single vote. House Bill 126 comes after Missouri's presidential primaries were eliminated under a law signed by ex-Gov. Mike Parson in 2022.

Historically, caucuses were the primary method for major political parties to determine their presidential nominees. States like Iowa, Wyoming and Idaho still hold caucuses.

House Bill No. 126 has cleared two committee votes thus far, most recently on March 13, and now awaits further action on the House floor.

"The Republican Party came down and spoke later day, spoke in favor, and so did the Democratic Party leaders," he said.

On top of reinstating the presidential preference primary, the bill also seeks to extend the in-person no-excuse voting period from two weeks to six weeks before the date of the election.

"Look how many people voted early and we just had two weeks, and then the clerks got overwhelmed, so we're making it six weeks. People can get in early," he said.