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“I have never seen Washington voters so engaged in the presidential primary contests on both sides of the aisle. “It’s true that we’re late in the cycle, but both parties still have fiercely contested races still under way."Both parties also held caucuses, with Democrats using theirs as the method of allocating national convention delegates. Republicans will use the primary to allocate their delegates. The state’s Presidential Primary law, passed overwhelmingly by Democratic and Republican lawmakers as a citizen Initiative to the Legislature in 1989, provides for the quadrennial election, but leaves it to the parties what they choose to do with the results, noted state Elections Director Lori Augino. Republicans have always used the primary to allocate at least half of their delegates. Wyman attempted to persuade Democrats to use the Primary, calling it far more inclusive and attractive to voters than the caucuses. The Democratic State Central Committee voted to stick with the caucuses in 2016, and Democrats did not support the Secretary’s effort to move the primary to early on the calendar, March 8. “My message now is that the Presidential Primary is for all – it gives our state a voice in the process,” Wyman said. “Our Legislature and governor, Democrats and Republicans in both chambers, voted to fund this election and the turnout should be robust.”
