The Caucus System: A Great Tool for Political Participation

[Editor's Note: This op-ed piece was first published in The Crossroads Journal on December 26, 2013] 

Recently I attended a meeting for the “Count My Vote” initiative, a movement that proposes to replace political party caucuses and conventions in Utah with a direct vote to place candidates on the ballot. Most of the people who showed up to this meeting supported neighborhood caucuses, A few citizens, however, said their experiences with the neighborhood caucuses left them feeling disenfranchised and disgusted with politics.

I can understand. I’ve been there.

My first caucus meeting here was horribly disorganized and stacked with pre-decided friends of candidates. Back room deals were made and anyone could have easily slipped in extra ballots. The delegates didn’t represent my opinions and were hard to contact later. Finally, the Precinct Chair we elected stopped working after “his candidate” failed to make it through convention.

I too could have become disillusioned. But I didn’t. I believe that each one of us has the ability to change our surroundings and our circumstances, if only we learn from the past and work hard for something better. Two years later, after I got more involved, the next caucus meeting was dramatically – and positively – different for me.

No matter what system we use, many of us may still experience negative situations because WE are not perfect. Human pride, selfishness, prejudice, and other vices can and often do lead to negative outcomes in our political relationships.

But the opposite is also true. We Americans are likewise capable of selfless service, patience, fairness, kindness, and respect. These attributes don’t just come automatically. We have to learn them, usually through our own experiences, but we can also learn from those around us.

Unlike a direct primary where the vast majority of voters study candidates and issues on their own and then show up individually to cast their ballots on election day, the caucus system involves neighbors in a political dialogue that accomplishes so much more than merely casting a vote.

I know of no other nominating system that has a greater potential to educate everyone who wants to learn, create a consistent two-way, face-to-face communication between ordinary citizens and their elected leaders, teach principles of representative government and majority rule checked by law, increase voter turnout and citizen political involvement, and hold candidates and elected officials personally accountable for their words and actions.

Utah’s Neighborhood Caucus system is a pretty awesome way to govern ourselves. Let’s be wary of any alternative that would dilute or eventually replace it.

Wendi Baggaley graduated from BYU with a degree in political science and has been involved for many years in local and state politics. She is a homemaker residing in Eagle Mountain City with her husband and four children. Wendi welcomes considerate comments and discussions at wendispolitics@gmail.com.