After many Twin Cities precincts had overwhelming numbers for participants in the Feb. 5 caucuses, there is talk of switching Minnesota to a primary.

That&8217;s too bad.

Caucuses require neighbors to get to know each other. Primary elections do not.

In this age of Internet and interstates and less personal communication, there is something charming, something &8220;Minnesota nice&8221; about caucuses that primaries fail to offer.

At caucuses, people gather and talk about issues and presidential candidates, then decide which candidates they prefer. There is a town-hall feel to the caucuses. It is good to meet people who live near them and talk politics &8212; a key part of a successful democracy.

The parties run the caucuses &8212; not the state government, not the county governments, not the city governments &8212; and so the burden of expense is on the parties, not government. This gives the parties independence in determining how they caucus. That is why the Democrats, Republicans and other parties operate them differently.

Primaries require people to go to a voting booth and then go home. They cost tax dollars. The government dictates to the parties how to run them.

Are we sure, Minnesota, that this is a better fit for our state?