First caucus experience not a good one

Yesterday, I was supposed to participate in my first presidential caucus. Radio and television advertisements trying to promote the event made it sound so easy. Imagine how surprised my wife and I were when we showed up at our caucus precinct only to find a line of voters a quarter-mile long and no parking within about three blocks. Because my wife is disabled, it was unrealistic to expect her to stand in a long line out in the bitter cold morning air for who knows how long. Normally, she votes absentee in the primaries so she doesn’t have to stand and wait at the polls. But our first-ever caucus did not permit absentee voting. Anyone who wanted his or her vote to count had to show up at the precinct.
Because we could not stand around outside, I decided to take my wife home and then return after lunch to at least place my vote. By then, I figured the line would be smaller and I could get in and out a lot faster. When I returned in the afternoon, I found that the line was quite a bit smaller than it had been earlier. In fact, there was no line at all. As a matter of fact, I was surprised to find that the precinct had closed. Unfortunately, I had lost the chance to cast my vote in our state’s presidential primary because my wife’s health had been more important to me. I had, in effect, forfeited my right to vote. Needless to say, I was upset.
Media information leading up to the caucus reported that people would be able to cast their votes for president during the day even if they did not wish to participate in the caucus. I had presumed that this caucus would function similar to our past presidential primaries, where precincts remained open throughout the day until polls closed in the evening; the only difference being that voting during the caucus selected delegates to the party conventions. But the information I gathered on the event was wrong. Apparently, voting only took place during the appointed time of the caucus.
So, all excuses aside, I missed my chance to vote. Admittedly, I chose not to wait in line at the caucus, even if it was for good reason. As a conservative, I take full responsibility for my actions and do not assign blame for my choices. In the end, though, my participation would have been moot and in vain anyway, because my candidate dropped out of the presidential race the same day.
However, I must be forthright here and voice my displeasure with the caucus system. My reasons are thus:
1. Unlike the old primary, the new caucus does not allow for absentee voting, an option particularly invaluable to persons with disabilities.
2. Unlike the old primary, the new caucus is not open for voting all day, so those having to work on caucus day are up a creek without a paddle unless they can take an hour or two off at the time of the caucus. In a primary, at least, every registered party member has plenty of chances and time to vote; not just those who arrive at a certain time to caucus. I wager that taking time off at a specific time is not really an option for most people having to work on caucus day.
3. Unlike the old primary, the new caucus has significantly fewer voting precincts. As a result, there are more people and longer the lines to deal with.
I realize that some people prefer a caucus over a primary, but I’m not one of them. Give me the flexibility and freedom of a primary any day over the restrictions of a caucus.