Thanks so much to Mary Petz for her thorough article on the Minnesota caucus process. Democrats, as well as Republicans, will caucus on February 6 and your local DFL party invites you to join us. All precincts will meet at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 51 W. 5th St., adjacent and attached to the Cook County School complex. Registration begins at 6 p.m., with the caucus itself starting promptly at 7 p.m. You must be 18 by Nov. 6, 2018, to vote (although under 18 minors can otherwise fully participate). There are timing deadlines we need to follow throughout the night, so please be prompt.
The Minnesota DFL supports and elects leaders who embody the ideals and principles of the Democratic Party and the people of Minnesota. We work to enact policies so that all Minnesotans, regardless of background, have the rights to stable employment, fair wages that can provide for a family, quality education, accessible and affordable healthcare, personal safety in our communities, and a retirement with dignity and security.
A caucus is really just a neighborhood meeting. It is where one person can have a tremendous influence on the DLF itself. Attend a DFL caucus, and you will meet with your like-minded friends and neighbors to cast a preference ballot for governor and discuss the political matters that concern us. The caucus attendees take the very first steps to choosing their candidates for the Legislature and Congress in the fall. Local caucuses will debate and pass resolutions – some of which will ultimately become part of the state DFL platform. The caucus is really the place where all the party positions begin; it’s where the first planks of the party platform are laid. There is no better example of “grassroots” than the caucus.
Likewise, the caucus is the place where any delegates to the legislative and congressional caucuses are first chosen. You must be a local district caucus participant in order to move on and have your voice heard. Serving as a delegate to the next level DFL meetings is the only way to be elected to the state and congressional district conventions – where individuals are chosen as delegates to the parties’ national conventions in presidential election years. Here’s what you can expect: . You will be greeted and welcomed at the door. Caucuses can be chaotic; however, there is always someone to help. . You will be asked to register, and during this time we will ask if you agree with the general principles of the Democratic Party. You do not need to be a registered Democrat. . After registering you will be given a Gubernatorial Preference Ballot, which you use to vote for your preferred candidate for governor. . If anyone wants to serve as an election judge or in another way, we can explain the open roles and sign you up on the spot. . You can volunteer to be a delegate at our organizing unit convention on March 24, and as a potential delegate, you may be asked your position on who you will support in the contested CD8 congressional race, Congressman Rick Nolan versus Leah Phifer. . You can introduce resolutions on issues you care about and want to see included in the DFL platform.
Signify your interest in attending our local unit organizing convention on March 24.
See you at the caucus!
John Thompson
DFL unit chair
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