So caucuses favor Bernie and closed primaries favor Hillary. I think both are un-democratic.

[redgreenandblue]

Artificial bureaucratic and practical hurdles that effectively reduce the number of people who make their voices heard. Like voter ID laws.

All contests should be open primaries.

[hereforthevoting]

1. Yup, with automatic registration

[cosmicone]

2. The election is for electing the leader of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The leader then becomes the nominee.

Why the hell should the DEMOCRATIC PARTY give choice to non-democrats to elect its leader?

That would be like NAACP allowing KKK members to decide their leader.

Or the Hare Krishnas allowing ISIS members to vote to decide which temple is the best.

[dchill]

5. From what I see...

The Party could use a little outside input.

[cosmicone]

6. mmmm yeah right ...

[dchill]

9. Hey, I can be funny, too!

Check out my roffles!

[Recursion]

8. There are pros and cons

On the one hand, since the Democratic party represents about 30% of the electorate, and the Republican party 25%, it can be useful for the two parties to get some sense of whom the remaining 45% of the electorate prefer.

On the other hand, as you say, there are also good arguments limiting that decision to Democrats.

I think the state parties are probably in the best position to decide, as they have done.

[cosmicone]

10. One can allow outsiders to vote but

their votes should not count towards delegates -- just indicate their preference.

[Recursion]

11. Well, I think our entire delegate structure is kind of outdated, personally

But, it's not something we could just rip up and get rid of very easily.

[mucifer]

3. Yeah on so many levels we do not live in a democracy

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

4. Both are designed to give the parties more control

which is why changing them to open primaries will not be an easy task without pressure from the federal government.

[WhiteTara]

7. The general election is open

and the parties choose their nominees.

[VulgarPoet]

12. All I really want is a "No Confidence" option on the ballots

if "No Confidence" wins, then the candidates get dropped and we do it again.

[upaloopa]

13. I don't want repubs picking our candidate

If you want to vote in a Democratic primary, join the party!

[liberal_at_heart]

14. agreed. WA has a mail in ballot primary. It is great, not that it means anything this year.

The Democratic party has decided not to pick up any delegates from the primary. Like you said, undemocratic.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. In 2008 Obama won most of the caucus States. Perhaps caucus States simply do not vote for Hillary?

I think it is dubious to think that the results would be different if the process was different. Huge margins for Bernie or Obama do not turn into Clinton wins by changing the voting method.

But of course to play 'caucus bad because Bernie' is to also play 'caucus bad because Obama'.

[dsc]

17. caucuses that don't permit absentee voting are an affront to democracy

among others active duty military serving out of state can't vote in them. That alone makes them wholly illegitimate.

[KingFlorez]

16. Closed primaries are fine

If some state parties would prefer to limit the voting in the primary to just registered Democrats there is nothing wrong with that. It keeps Republicans from trying to manipulate the process.

Caucuses are not appropriate, because of the confusing format that can put people off from voting.