Missouri is Changing to a Caucus System. What Does That Mean?
It all begins with an idea.
“The history of political caucusing often involved dimly lit, smoke-filled rooms and contrived procedures crafted by a small group of political elites.”
By Steve Losh, Greene County Democratic Party Historian
The caucus system is a process in which political parties convene in-person to pick candidates for an upcoming general election. There are three theories as to where the term “caucus” originates, particularly in relation to the political nominating system used in the United States:
The term may originate from the Algonquin tribe of the Eastern United States, which used the word “caucauausa” to refer to an advisor, speaker or orator.
The term may also derive from the latin caucus, meaning a drinking vessel used for mixing drinks. The drink was particularly popular at the Caucus Club in 1760s Boston.
The term also might be a derivation of the word “Caulker” (someone who applied caulk, often to ships), which suggests that the term may have been associated with the politically powerful “Caulkers Club,” a trade association originating within the colonial-era harbors of the early United States.
The history of political caucusing often involved dimly lit, smoke-filled rooms and contrived procedures crafted by a small group of political elites. To this day, political caucuses are largely dominated by party leaders and community organizers due to the lower rates of participation and increased effort required to cast a vote. Since many caucus processes require hours of engagement, the majority of prospective voters often choose to stay home.
A primary election is the pre-election process for constituents of each party to select their preferred candidate for the general elections.
Perhaps it is time that the American electorate leave the relic system of political caucusing to history and make the process of each party selecting their candidates more democratic. As Missouri switches back to the caucus system for the first time since 1996, it is hard to see this change as anything other than a tremendous step backwards.