Today is the final day to add your $0.03 and vote on how the Washington Democrats should change the way they choose a presidential nominee:

Democrats in Washington State have traditionally held caucuses to vote for presidential nominees. That could change this year. Changes in DNC rules are requiring the Washington State Democratic Central Committee (WSDCC) to reevaluate some of its procedures. At the same time, changes in Washington state’s official primary process have given the WSDCC the opportunity to select either a primary or a caucus to allocate delegates for Democratic presidential candidates. We want to hear from you about whether you would choose a primary or a caucus, and — if you feel like sharing — your reasons for preferring one option over the other. That way the committee members of the WSDCC can make a more informed decision about which process to use.

You can choose and comment through April 4th here at waelectioncenter.com.

You can review the full plans here: Hybrid Primary-Caucus Proposal (PDF)  | . Full Caucus Cycle (PDF)

Washington, meanwhile, is moving up its presidential primary to make the vote more relevant. The Washington State Democratic Central Committee will now choose how the party will utilize the primary vote in 2020. In 2016 and past presidential elections, Democrats have caucused to dole out the state’s delegates. The last time around, there were incredibly long lines — and a landslide victory for Bernie Sanders — on Capitol Hill. The primary in Washington has been meaningless enough that we’ve canceled in recent years. In 2016, CHS wrote about the logistical frustrations of the caucus process for Capitol Hill-area voters.

There’s plenty of confusion about what possible changes mean in 2020. We think this thread from Northwest Progressive Institute ‏sums it up best:

• There WILL be caucuses in 2020 for delegate selection and partybuilding purposes. They are not going away. The choice is between a primary-caucus hybrid plan and caucus-only plan.
• Both Delegate Selection Plans posted by the @washdems call for legislative district caucuses in April 2020, county conventions and congressional district caucuses the following month, and a state convention in June. Anyone who loves caucuses will have caucuses to go to in 2020.
• What the party’s governing central committee must decide … is whether or not to use a primary for allocation. If a primary is utilized, then precinct caucuses won’t be held, but there will be caucuses at all the other levels. Just like in years past.

If you want that primary vote to matter in 2020, choose the hybrid plan. If you want the flesh and blood democracy of caucuses to lead the way, choose the full caucus plan.

The ultimate decision will sit with the party’s central committee. Crosscut wrote more here about the decision.

Sigh. Wrong, @TheStranger. That's not the choice facing the Washington State Democrats next weekend. There WILL be caucuses in 2020 for delegate selection and partybuilding purposes. They are not going away. The choice is between a primary-caucus hybrid plan and caucus-only plan. https://t.co/GItQoMncah

— Northwest Progressive Institute (@nwprogressive) March 31, 2019

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