Minnesota DFL Precinct Caucuses Are Tonight - What's Your State Doing?

[MineralMan]

Tonight is the date for precinct level caucus meetings in Minnesota. I'll be in a classroom at a nearby high school, hoping that people show up for the meeting. Few will, sadly. They should. Here's what will happen tonight in my precinct caucus:

1. Election of Precinct Chair, Vice-Chair, etc.
2. Selection of Delegates to our Senate District Convention - At that convention, we'll be endorsing candidates for a range of state legislative positions, along with delegates to the DFL State Convention. The cool thing is that our precinct can select up to 17 delegates. The sad thing is that there won't be that many people at the caucus tonight. There never are.
3. Submission of proposed resolutions for inclusion in the DFL state platform. I'll be submitting one about legislation to require that animals used in laboratory testing be adopted out after that testing ends, rather than being euthanized. That resolution will be introduced at a number of precinct caucuses, and will be considered for inclusion in the DFL platform for 2014.
4. There will be opportunities to hear from and discuss issues with a range of potential candidates for our state legislature, our congressional representative, and others. It's hard to say who will show up. In 2008, Al Franken showed up at our precinct caucus meetings. Our Congresswoman, Betty McCollum will be there, if she doesn't have to be in DC. The St. Paul mayor and possibly our Governor may attend as well. It's a good chance to buttonhole those folks and lobby for things.
5. We'll get a chance to meet our fellow election activists. They all show up for these precinct caucuses. I'll see people I know there tonight.

So, what's going on in your state, politically? Not every state uses the caucus system, but all have local Democratic organizations. Googling Democratic Party State (substitute your state) will lead you to a website that lets you find out what is going on. Right now, candidates are beginning their primary campaigns or deciding whether or not to run. If you're involved, you can participate in the process. If you're not involved, you can't. So, please do the search and get involved in your own precinct, district, and state organization. At this stage, not that many people are involved, so you can have a real impact in politics in your own state, and you'll meet others who are committed to Democratic politics. This is where it all begins.

Are you involved in your local elections? If not, why not?

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[frazzled]

1. All I know is ...

That the Democratic primaries will be held on March 18. I will of course vote, as I have done in every federal, state, and local election since I became eligible to vote, in 1971.

I went to my precinct caucuses in Minnesota when I lived there, and was active in local Democratic politics when I lived in MA (was on the Democratic Town Committee and was a delegate to the state convention). But I have to say I have no FREAKING idea how to get involved in the Democratic party here in Illinois.

Honestly, when we first moved here I was stupid enough to even send a donation to the state party, and I never heard from them again: no emails, no voter information, no nothing. City politics is a little easier, since I have a very active and transparent alderman, who sends a detailed newsletter each week that is very informative, and comes to meet with our neighborhood association at least once a year: I went to the meeting the other week. I also worked on his campaign.

The only way I stay even moderately apprised of state and local politics otherwise is to read the newspaper and occasionally watch Chicago Tonight on the local PBS station. But the party? It seems to care less whether any of us exists.

[MineralMan]

2. You Can Start at This Link:

http://www.ildems.com/

Explore that site to find your local organization. It's easy, but you have to look for opportunities for yourself. I found that site by typing Democratic Party Illinois into Google, just as I described in the OP.

[frazzled]

4. LOL ...

I've been to that web site. I just told you, they didn't even respond when you DONATE to them. I've been a registered Democrat for going on 10 years here, now. I'm on the rolls as having voted in every single primary and general election during that time (probably around 15 elections), and they've still never contacted me, either by mail, phone, or email. I've worked on local (aldermanic) and national (presidential) campaigns here, and done volunteer work for OFA. The calendar on that web site is unusable at the local level. The only "event" I can find for February anywhere near my district is a fundraiser to which the lowest entry level is $250. That's not participation: that's called buying a place at the table (or as we call it here, Pay to Play; the only people who go to these things are those who want state contracts in the future).

The state Democratic Party is a top-down affair. They are really not interested in public participation. And I say this as someone who has been incredibly involved in politics on the ground level over many years.

I know what grass-roots participation is. It is very hard to do in a machine-politics environment. Maybe if Michael J. Madigan quits running the party it will help someday.

[Brickbat]

3. Platform resolution, or action agenda?

This precinct chair thinks it sounds more like an action agenda.

[MineralMan]

5. It's in the form of a platform resolution.

I'm submitting a platform resolution. More here:

http://votersforanimals.org/elections-politicians/caucus-on-feb-4-2014/

Here's a pdf of the actual resolution:

http://votersforanimals.org/content/uploads/2014/01/2014-Precinct-Caucus-Resolution-Beagle-Bill.pdf