After backlash to March primary, Missouri lawmakers debate reversing 2022 election change

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – After this year’s presidential preference primary in Missouri, many voters are calling for state lawmakers to return the process to state control.

The 2024 election cycle was the first presidential primary to be administered by a party-run primary system after Gov. Mike Parson signed a 2022 law to shift the burden from state and local election officials.

“My sense is that the clerks obviously didn’t like having two elections within 30 days of each other because of some logistical concerns and evidentiary concerns if there are problems or audits,” Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said. “There was also the concern about the cost.”

The cost to state and local governments of running the presidential preference primary was roughly $10 million, according to Ashcroft.

Additionally, the new system also allowed the individual parties to restrict participation to only registered members.

Missouri Republicans moved to a caucus system, where participants convene county-level party meetings to choose the candidate through either secret ballots or a public showing of support.

However, those meetings happen on one day in singular county locations, making participation and access far more challenging.

“The way this has played out [reveals] the caucus system really does disenfranchise voters,” said state Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho.

Baker is one of several lawmakers who have filed versions of a bill to reverse the 2022 change and reinstate the state-administered preference primary.

“I’ve probably had more complaints from constituents over this issue than anything that I’ve done – or not done – in the past six years,” Baker told the House Special Committee on Public Policy Tuesday.

The Democratic Party in Missouri organized a state-wide election for its march selection, but House Elections Committee’s ranking member, state Rep. Joe Adams, D-University City, said it was not as well-resourced as an election run by the state government.

“I would like everybody to have the opportunity to have a say in who the presidential candidate will be that they will vote for in November,” Adams said. “I want people to participate.”

With less than a month left in the legislative session, it’s increasingly less likely that this policy change will reach the governor’s desk for passage, but it’s also not a pressing deadline with two more sessions before Missourians would have to vote on another presidential candidate in 2028.

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