Yang criticizes caucus voting method, says they don’t encourage high voter turnout

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang on Saturday hammered the idea of caucuses, saying the voting process diminishes turnout.

“I’m not sure why we’re still using caucuses in some of these early states. They’re really bad for turnout,” Yang said on CNN on Saturday, the day of the Nevada caucuses.

“If you’re going to be a democracy, and you’re trying to empower voters, why would you make it harder for people to vote in your earliest nominating process?” he said.

Andrew Yang criticizes the caucus process: “If you’re going to be a democracy, and you’re trying to empower voters, why would you make it harder for people to vote in your earliest nominating process?” #cnnelection pic.twitter.com/9xQpTlzbBb

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 22, 2020

The remarks from Yang came as voters caucused in Nevada, the third nominating contest of the 2020 primary race. Exit polls did not show a surge in voter turnout in the Silver State despite Democrats’ hopes that the party’s base would come out in force to take on President Trump.

Turnout was also low in Iowa’s caucuses earlier this month, though there was a rise in turnout in the New Hampshire primary a week later.

Yang performed poorly in Iowa’s caucuses, garnering only about 1 percent of the vote. He also suffered a dismal showing in the New Hampshire primary, sparking his withdrawal from the 2020 race.

The caucus process has also been dinged this year after reporting inconsistencies and technical issues in Iowa delayed the final results for days and fueled confusion as to which candidate won.