Originally Posted by Portland Press Herald

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap has responded to the Legislature's call for money-saving ideas by proposing that the state eliminate its primary election system.

All state agencies are required to submit ways to save money to the Appropriations Committee, which must cut $10 million from the state budget.

The Secretary of State's Office is responsible for suggesting $162,000 in cuts from the two divisions supported by the general fund -- State Archives and Corporations, Elections and Commissions.

Dunlap said staffing in both divisions is already at a minimum, which forces him to be more creative.

"We're really at the point now where we have nothing left to give," he said. "My expansive empire in elections consists of six people. I'm starting to see we may have cut too far."

Dunlap said that forced him to look at the mission of the office, and primaries, in which voters enrolled in political parties choose candidates to run in the general election, seemed like a place to start, he said.

The state spends $300,000 every other year on primaries.

"It's a party concern," he said. "It's not a state concern."

Dunlap first mentioned his idea on Friday while serving as a fill- in co-host on the radio show "Maine in the Morning," which sparked several comments on the conservative blog As Maine Goes.

The Appropriations Committee will meet on Thursday to review all proposed cuts, including agency ideas and those from the public.

Rather than hold a statewide primary, parties could choose to host caucuses to pick their candidates, Dunlap said.

Caucuses are local party meetings where members gather to pick nominees.

That process was used by Republicans and Democrats earlier this year to pick candidates for a Maine House seat that became open after the death of Rep. Abigail Holman, R-Fayette.

For races that follow the regular election schedule, party candidates gather signatures to get their names on the ballot, and the state holds an election in June.

Even those who are uncontested get their names printed on the ballots, which is another cost to the state, Dunlap said.

Maine Democratic Party spokeswoman Carol Andrews said the party would consider the idea of doing away with the primaries.

Ultimately, it's up to lawmakers to decide whether to pursue Dunlap's idea.

"It's imperative to the process that we include as many voters as possible," Andrews said. "Caucuses might not lend itself to that involvement."

Maine Republican Party Chairman Mark Ellis could not be reached for comment on Monday, and party Executive Director Julie O'Brien is out of the office this week.

While statewide primary elections are held for a full day, which gives people a chance to vote before, during or after work, local caucuses are usually held on a weekend for a few hours. They generally draw only active party members.

For primaries, voters who aren't enrolled in any of the three recognized parties in Maine -- Green, Democratic and Republican -- may join a party on the day of the election to vote in that party's primary.

Dunlap, a former Democratic legislator from Old Town, also is suggesting that lawmakers consider not printing the treasurer's statement on the ballot that accompanies bond issue questions.

The statement describes what bonds are and explains state debt.

"Whether or not it flies is anybody's guess," he said.