Pierce County Councilmember Derek Young, who chaired a legislative district caucus meeting in 2016, supports switching. He called the caucuses “inherently undemocratic.” Besides watching people with disabilities struggle in 2016, he said he watched “more than one mom with a kid in a stroller walk out."

“People were having to park over a mile away on dirt roads without sidewalks,” Young said. “I watched people who were in obvious discomfort and pain trying to sit in the caucus that lasted more than six hours, and they grew more frustrated.”

John Wyble, a Democratic political consultant, said he would also prefer that the party move to a primary election system for nominating candidates going forward.

“When we had the caucuses, we were asking people to take at least two hours out of a weekend and come and participate — and in some cases, that would turn into five hours, or six or seven,” Wyble said. “It limits the participation. …I don’t think any of that is actually good for democracy or good for the Democratic Party.”