Excluded from this process are people who:
- Have to travel today
- Have to work this evening to make ends meet
- Are infirm or bedridden
- Take care of those who are
Fortunately, there's some momentum away from it. Until the major overhaul of candidate selection processes for both major parties in the 1970s, caucuses were the norm. Washington Democrats will do away with them with the 2020 elections (Republicans switched to a primary election previously). Colorado, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Utah switched. Alaska and Hawaii are using party-run primaries, which is an improvement but not ideal. But that leaves six states running caucuses still, including one that has helped set the tone for presidential elections for decades (and which has selected the final nominee only 10 times in 18 competitive caucuses since 1972, getting spectacularly different results in 1992 when Tom Harkin pulled in 76% support and Bill Clinton got a tiny 3%).
Parties have a First Amendment right, according to the Supreme Court, to select their candidates how they want. The parties can legally hold caucuses and get the most rabid and--let's be honest--well-off supporters to come pick their favorite and try to drag supporters of other candidates to their preferred person. It's not democratic, it's elitist, and it should end.