Missouri has joined several other states in adopting a caucus system for selecting their party’s presidential nominee.
This move comes after the Missouri General Assembly passed a law in 2022 abolishing the traditional March Presidential Preference Primary. The new process, as outlined in Missouri statutes RSMo 115.776, delegates the responsibility of nominating presidential candidates to the established political parties within the state.
RSMo 115.776 — Caucuses, nomination for presidential candidates — delegates for national conventions. — “The state party organization which is the state organization recognized by the national organization of that established political party shall, before the national convention, conduct a series of caucuses culminating in congressional and state conventions for the purpose of nominating a candidate for the president of the United States. Delegates to the national conventions shall be chosen at the congressional district and state conventions pursuant to rules established by the political parties.”
According to the Missouri Secretary of State’s (SOS) website, the transition to a caucus system is a pivotal shift in how presidential nominees will be chosen for the November 2024 elections.
Each established political party in Missouri will now have the autonomy to determine its process for selecting a nominee. The Secretary of State’s Office has reportedly reached out to these parties to gather information about their respective nomination processes.
Missouri voters interested in participating in the nomination process are encouraged to review information provided by the established political parties. For those wishing to affiliate with a party, the Secretary of State’s Office advises registering through the SOS website or contacting local election authorities.
“One potential pro about this is Republicans get to do it the way they want to. Democrats get to do it the way they want to. Libertarians get to do it the way they want to,” said Missouri’s SOS Jay Ashcroft (R).
“Doing this will save the state about $10 million. I’m sure that after we’re done with the caucus, we will have a discussion about whether or not the legislature should have removed the primary or not and whether or not we should go back to that,” he added.
The Missouri GOP has been proactive in detailing its caucus process. They announced that local caucuses in each county and the City of St. Louis are scheduled for March 2, 2024, at 10 a.m.
The GOP’s process involves a series of caucuses and conventions leading to the selection of delegates for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI, set for July 16-18, 2024. This convention will ultimately decide the Republican nominees for President and Vice President of the United States.
Prospective caucus participants are encouraged to pre-register for expedited check-in. It’s important to note that pre-registration details must match the information on the Missouri Secretary of State’s Website exactly, including the use of all capital letters.
On the day of the caucus, attendees must bring their pre-registration confirmation email and a valid, government-issued photo ID.
The Missouri GOP’s website provides comprehensive information on the caucus process, including the Call to Convention (Caucus Rules), Delegate Allocation by County, a Planning Memorandum, a Calendar of Important Dates, and explanations of the Plurality Slate Scenario.
For those seeking more in-depth understanding, a video of the Caucus Training conducted in Independence, MO, is available online in three parts: Introduction, Mock Caucus, and Conclusion.
Meanwhile, the Democrats are primarily using mail-in ballots and will also offer in-person voting on March 23.
This story originally appeared on TheGateWayPundit
