Minnesota caucuses

[Avis]

It has taken me forever to even find the place to go, and I read the pamphlet on the state site, but can anyone tell me exactly what happens and if it matters if we go? They really make it difficult! This is in NW MN where democrats are scarce!

[trotsky]

1. Check the DFL website

http://www.dfl.org

They've got much better caucus info.

[indigo32]

2. I am going to training offered by the DFL tonight

Because I didn't caucus last time but I've been to 2 of them.
It does matter if you go... this is not just about delegates for presidential nomination. Local Party leadership will be chosen, and the delegates who are selected will be part of deciding leadership higher up I believe. I also feel pretty strongly about what we say with our platform for some reason... and that is also ammended through the caucus system.

[mzmolly]

3. Hi Indigo, would you check on whether or not we can caucaus for Dean?

I am not going to training but I intend to caucaus.

[indigo32]

4. Will do

no problem

[no name no slogan]

7. You can pretty much caucus for whoever you like

At least that's how it has worked in the past. However, this year there's a presidential preference ballot at the beginning of the caucus, which will be used to award state delegates.

If you want to caucus for Dean and/or vote for him in the balloting, you should still be able to do that. I assume that his name will still appear on the ballot, and if not, I believe there's space for write-ins too.

Just make sure you DON'T vote for Lyndon LaRouche. :o

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. And if you can attend the Kucinich rally on Saturday

at the U, check out this page for info:

http://www.minnesotaforkucinich.com/febrally.php

[dpbrown]

6. There will be a "Presidential Preference Ballot" and other stuff

As mentioned, the DFL website lets you find out where you will physically go to caucus, using your home address. Sometimes it takes a while to figure it out, and you have to leave your house number off or whatever, but it works eventually.

What happens is this:

For the first time, Minnesota will assign its national delegates according to the percentages obtained through the "Presidential Preference Ballot." That means the vote for President at the caucus is binding on the number of delegates a candidate can get, with only one vote. It's like "a primary vote at a caucus location."

The caucus will also choose delegates and vote on resolutions and stuff. Some of these resolutions will become part of the state DFL platform, so if you care about this sort of stuff, then you will vote for passing the resolution on to the next level, and try to get picked as a delegate for the next level, etc.

The coolest thing that happens, in my opinion, is being able to vote for your choice for Presidential nominee, knowing that your choice is going to be the means by which Minnesota determines who gets Minnesota's votes at the national convention.

So take another crack at the DFL website and find your caucus location, and then at least show up for the caucus - at 6:30 p.m. on March 2nd - to cast your vote for your choice for the best possible Presidential nominee.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[northernsoul]

8. Hi Avis

just thought I'd send a shout out to a fellow resident of Wellstone Country!

I'd also reccomend checking out the DFL website (www.dfl.org)

[truthspeaker]

9. There's a thread in the Meeting Room about this too

here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=111&topic_id=18361

DFLPrincess seems to be the resident expert. I just found out about the presidential preference ballot and I'm going to tell everyone I know about it. Even if he's out of the race, every delegate for Dean will send a message to the Democratic leadership to shape up and stop taking us for granted.

[Avis]

10. Thanks

I'll go and see what happens. Minneapolis is about 8 hours away - we are really out of the loop up here! If only a couple of people show up, does that mean that the precinct gets less delegates? Thank you for the information.