Maine Could Move To Presidential Primaries

AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine could ditch its presidential caucuses for a primary system that supporters hope will get more voters involved.Such a bill has sailed through the Democratic-led House and Senate. The Senate on Thursday effectively set it aside as lawmakers hash out a deal on the two-year, $8 billion budget. Lawmakers will weigh whether to provide $122,000 this upcoming year to fund printing and delivering presidential primary ballots to municipalities. Maine is part of an increasingly small group of states with caucuses. The turnout at Maine's 2016 presidential caucus meetings, where party members select delegates, created headaches. Republicans faced long drives to regional caucus locations, while Democrats faced long lines at overcrowded caucuses. A 2016 Maine law switched to presidential primary elections, but it was never funded and automatically repealed.