Caucusing for Senate candidates?

[question everything]

I participated in only one MN caucus - in 2004 - where we wrote our presidential preferences on pieces of papers that were later tabulated.

The remaining of the evening was about proposals and choosing of delegates.

But today I got a mailer (two, actually) from Jack Nelson Pallmeyer with a call to "caucus for Jack on Feb. 5th."

How will this work? Will there be a preference vote for senate and congressional candidates? Or will people have a chance to talk on behalf of a candidate?

Also, I remember in 2004 several people wanted to know dates and locations of the conventions - county and state, I think - before they would agree to be delegates. Any idea about them for 2008?

[Kixel]

1. It's a screwy deal...

I went through it last cycle, but I have never been able to successfully explain it to anyone. Basically, at the Caucus level you won't really be talking about anything other than the Presidential candidates and the resolutions. You will actually just vote for the Presidential Candidate of your choice-and there are only 4 on the ballot. I still haven't figured out who one of them is!

At the next level (County Unit or Senate District, depending on your location)there are the walking sub caucuses where you have the Iowa-style horse trading. It is a very interesting experience-I recommend trying to go! The walking sub caucuses can be candidate or issue specific, but we don't really vote for US Congress or Senate until the later conventions. It's a very interesting process.

To find the location of your CU or SD Convention, you should be able to check their website or he website of your Congressional District.

If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me!

[dpbrown]

2. You don't have to attend precinct caucuses to caucus for Jack if you send a note

The precinct caucus is supposed to collect the names of people who would like to be considered as delegates to the later conventions - where you would "caucus for Jack."

If there are fewer people who attend the precinct caucus than the number of delegates afforded your precinct to the Senate district/county DFL conventions, then everyone who indicates a desire will be selected as a delegate for the later convention. The only wrinkle is that during a Presidential year with a contested Senate race a lot of people may show up at the precinct caucus - in that case, the only way to "caucus for Jack" would be to attend the precinct caucus and get elected as a delegate to go to the next level convention.

Since there isn't a Senate "vote" at the precinct caucus (like the Presidential), the only way to "caucus for Jack" is ultimately to end up at the State Convention supporting Jack.

To do that you would have to attend the Senate district/county DFL convention and be selected as a delegate to go to state. But, as I mentioned, you can possibly avoid the precinct caucus if you send a note indicating your desire to be a convention delegate and the precinct caucus is not flooded with attendees.

Schedule of caucuses and conventions

Minnesota DFL precinct caucuses: Tuesday, February 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Senate district/county DFL conventions: Anytime between Tuesday, February 5 through Sunday, April 6

Congressional District DFL conventions:

Congressional District 3: Saturday, April 12

Congressional District 4: Saturday, April 19

Congressional District 1: Saturday, April 26

Congressional District 5: Saturday, April 26

Congressional District 6: Saturday, April 26

Congressional District 2: Saturday, May 3

Congressional District 8: Saturday, May 3-Sunday, May 4

Congressional District 7: Saturday, May 17

Minnesota DFL state convention: Friday, June 6 - Sunday, June 8, Mayo Civic Center, Rochester