NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A bill headed to the governor's desk would require counties to use primaries, not caucuses, for local elections, sparking debate within the Republican Party.
We found most Tennesseans don't fully understand the difference between primary and caucus voting systems.
"I thought it was a group?" one resident questioned when asked about caucuses.
Another expressed concern about accessibility: "Turnout's already low in Tennessee and caucus requires you to spend more of your day."
The confusion extends beyond just understanding the mechanics, with some seeing potential impacts on voter participation.
"It feels like more disenfranchisement, which the state seems to be pretty good at," said another voter.
Since the 1980s, most Tennesseans have cast their local ballots through an open primary system, allowing anyone to vote in a Republican primary regardless of party affiliation.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson's bill was passed out of the House and Senate.
It now awaits the governor's signature and would enshrine this current system into law.
"I'm adamantly opposed to regressing and going back to a caucus system where it's basically a smoke filled back-room of party insiders picking our party's nominee," Johnson said.
But not all Republicans agree. Gary Humble with Tennessee Stands believes the current system is problematic.
"They're going to get sued," Humble said.
He wouldn’t elaborate on the lawsuit against the state, yet to be filed.
Humble argues that open primaries allow non-Republicans to influence Republican candidates.
"You have members of another organization coming to help choose who is going to represent your organization. That's what's happening right now in an open primary system," Humble said.
He favors caucuses, where party leaders gather at a set time and place to publicly discuss and debate which candidate to choose, with only registered party members participating.
"A primary is not an election. I know that sounds crazy. A primary is not anything more than a process by a political party to nominate its candidate," Humble said.
Johnson counters that caucuses limit voter participation.
"A county party could get elected and decide they want to go back to an old-school caucus, which is to very disenfranchise tens of thousands of people," Johnson said. "It's a set event at a specific time and a specific date. If you can't make it, you don't get a voice."
The small number of Tennessee counties currently using the caucus voting system for local elections would be grandfathered in and would not have to revert to the primary system under the proposed legislation.
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