Should Minnesota drop the caucus system for a presidential primary?

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Tellers Blake Hanlon and Scot Housh count the Republican presidential ballots at South View Middle School, Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in Edina, Minn. Voters from Vermont to Colorado, Alaska to American Samoa and a host of states in between took to polling places and caucus sites Tuesday, on the busiest day of the 2016 primaries. Renee Jones Schneider | Star Tribune via AP

Record turnout to Minnesota's caucuses on Tuesday spurred discussion of whether we should keep caucusing or move to a presidential primary.

Tim Pugmire writes on our Capitol View blog:

Heavy turnout and long lines at this week’s precinct caucuses have renewed interest in trying to move Minnesota to a presidential primary.

Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, said he’ll introduce legislation this session to make the switch. Garofalo said the caucus system does not work in a presidential year, because too many locations are inadequate for the crowds.

“We just simply don’t have the facilities to accommodate everybody voting at the exact same time, and that’s what happens in a caucus system,” Garofalo said.

Our state's relationship with the caucus system is long and complicated. We've even tried presidential primaries a few times, but always went back to caucusing. If Garofalo's plan gets any traction, maybe Minnesota will try a primary again.

Today's Question: Should Minnesota drop the caucus system for a presidential primary?

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