Less than one-half of 1 percent of Missouri's registered voters participated in the Republican caucuses that served as the first step in the presidential selection process.
Figures provided to The Associated Press by the Republican Party show 17,576 people participated in the caucuses.
That compares with 252,185 people who cast Republican ballots in February's non-binding presidential primary. A total of 588,844 people voted in the 2008 Republican presidential primary, when the results actually counted toward awarding Missouri's delegates to the Republican National Convention.
State Republican Party Chairman David Cole says Republican leaders will be working to return to the nonbinding primary for the 2016 presidential elections.
Republicans used the caucuses this year only after the Legislature and governor failed to agree on legislation delaying the primary.
