ST. PAUL — Opponents of Minnesota’s precinct caucus system are renewing calls to do away with the state’s participation-intensive voting process after hundreds of thousands of residents crammed into gymnasiums and classrooms for Tuesday night’s caucuses.

Caucus voters came out in droves on Super Tuesday to support their preferred presidential candidates. Republicans set turnout records; Democrats predicted they had their second-highest showing in state history.

The high turnout led to crowded caucus sites, long lines and a revived debate over whether it’s time for Minnesota to swap out its caucus system for the more-common — and less complex — presidential primary. Unlike a primary, where residents simply vote for their chosen candidate, a caucus is a community event in which people debate the merits of their chosen candidates before voting.

For decades, opponents of caucuses have argued the insider nature of the system discourages the average citizen from voting and that in years of high turnout, volunteers and facilities can become overwhelmed.

“When turnout is super low, the caucus system works fine,” said state Rep. Pat Garofalo, a Republican from Farmington. “When more participate, the system breaks down.”

Garofalo announced Tuesday night that he plans to introduce a measure next week that would replace the caucus system in favor of a presidential primary.