Kansas panel considers holding 2016 presidential primaries

A Kansas Senate panel balked Wednesday at a proposal from Secretary of State Kris Kobach that would cancel the state’s 2016 presidential primary elections, with a Republican leader telling one of Kobach’s aides that a primary allows more people to participate.

Lawmakers have canceled every state primary since 1992 because of the cost, and Republicans and Democrats instead hold caucuses. About 350,000 people voted in the 1992 presidential primary, while caucuses draw only a fraction of that.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bryan Caskey testified to the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee that the 2016 primary would cost the state $1.75 million, funding for which would need to be appropriated before next spring.

But Senate President and committee member Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, opposed the bill, saying a full primary brings attention to the state and allows more people to get involved. The 2016 presidential election cycle will be particularly interesting because no incumbents will be running and there will be a competitive nominating process for Republicans and Democrats, she said.

“I just think that people want to participate, and they’re already talking about it. That’s what the news is talking about, all the candidates. And I would hate to see us shut off that discussion, even though I know that the cost is exorbitant,” Wagle said.

Wagle said she would like to see Kansas attempt to form a regional primary with two or more neighboring states and move up the date of the primary so that it would have greater impact on the national nominating process. The first presidential primaries occur in January, and Kansas’ caucuses are in mid-April – a time when the field of serious candidates has usually thinned.

The bill is exempt from being discarded after Friday’s “turnaround” deadline. Committee chairman Sen. Mitch Holmes, R-St. John, said the panel will continue to discuss the bill and possibly amend it to incorporate Wagle’s proposals.

This story was originally published February 25, 2015 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Kansas panel considers holding 2016 presidential primaries."