Transcript Precinct Caucuses

Precinct Caucuses:
Getting Ready for the 2010 Elections
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
and
Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Minnesotans
January and February, 2010
Why be involved?
 Advocate for an issue that matters to you,
your community, or your organization.
 Support the candidates of YOUR choice.
 Build your involvement in the political process.
 Participate in Minnesota’s unique grassroots
dialogue about policies and politics.
What if I am not a U.S. citizen?
 In order to vote, become a delegate, or offer
resolutions at your precinct caucus, you must
be eligible to vote on November 2, 2010.
 However, you can attend your caucus even if
you are not a U.S. citizen to:
 Observe and learn about participatory democracy.
 Meet your neighbors or friends to discuss issues
that you would like to see addressed.
Citizenship and Precinct Caucuses
 Becoming a U.S. citizen can be a long and
difficult process…
 …but there is a reward
 You can shape politicians’ positions on issues that
matter to you and your community or…
 You can run for elected office yourself!
 Direct participation in the precinct caucus process,
endorsing candidates, and of course…
 The Vote
Overview of the Caucus Process
1) Precinct
Caucuses
Feb 2nd
2) Senate
District/
County
Convention
March April
3) Congressional
District Caucuses
April - May
4) State Conventions
June
Who can participate?
You can participate if you:
 Reside in the district.
 Will be eligible to vote on Nov. 2, 2010.
 Are in general agreement with the party’s
principles.
What happens at a caucus?
There are 3 main caucus activities:
1. Elect a precinct chair and precinct officers.
2. Elect delegates and alternates to the senate
district/county convention- these delegates will
decide who is endorsed by your political party for
your state senator, representative, state auditor,
secretary of state and governor.
3. Debate and select resolutions on statewide policy
issues.
*
In presidential election years, caucuses hold presidential
preference ballots
A Quick Primer on Robert’s Rules
 Making a motion: “I move that…”
 Seconding the motion: “I second the motion…”
 Calling the question: “I move to call the question”
 Point of information: “Point of information…”
 Point of parliamentary inquiry: “Point of
parliamentary inquiry…”
Don’t Be Intimidated
 There will be people at your caucus who will know
more about the rules and process than you do…don’t be afraid to ask for an explanation when you
don’t understand.
 …and don’t be afraid to assert yourself and your
issues.
 Don’t forget:
 This process is about grassroots participation.
 This is YOUR opportunity to support the issues YOU care
about.
 Your input is valuable to your party!
What exactly do I do there?
 Show up
 Sign in
 Meet people
 Nominate neighbors for party office
 Run for party office (e.g. precinct chair)
…and there is more to do…
 Nominate yourself or others to serve as delegates to
the senate district/county convention.
 Vote for a delegate who represents issues or
candidates that you support.
 Present a resolution on an issue that you care
about.
 If your precinct has subcaucuses, convene a
subcaucus for a candidate and/or issue.
 Convince as many people as possible to support you and
form a viable caucus – one that can elect 1 or more
delegates to the next level of dialogue.
What is a Walking Subcaucus
(Democratic party only) ?
 A group gathered around an issue or candidate
for the purpose of electing someone to the next
level of party conventions.
 Often formed by a coalition of underrepresented groups that may
not be able to elect a delegate on their own, but can as a
collective.
 The more members your subcaucus can attract, the more
delegates your subcaucus can elect.
 Subcaucuses are unlikely to occur at the precinct level, but are
sure to occur at the senate district/county conventions and
congressional district conventions.
 Now let’s see it in action…
What is a resolution?
 Party platforms are made up of party
positions on a wide range of issues.
 Resolutions are position statements that can
be adopted at the precinct level and
advanced to become party positions.
 Resolutions need to be presented in writing.
What does a resolution look like?
 State the problem or opportunity.
 Provide a rationale for a position.
 Present the position as a policy statement.
Can we see a sample?
The Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans 2010 Caucus Resolution
Resolution to Require Captioning of Television and On-line Video Ads for Minnesota Candidates and Party Sponsored Ads:
WHEREAS an estimated nine percent of the population in the state of Minnesota is deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind,
WHEREAS many people who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind rely upon captioning to understand the messages that are
given by candidates running for office,
WHEREAS only one percent of all media on the web is captioned,
WHEREAS requiring captioning for television and on-line ads allows all Minnesotans to participate fully in the election process
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the parties require the captioning of television and online video ads for Minnesota candidates and
party sponsored ads.
MCDHH Resolution
 Resolution to Require Captioning of Television and On-line
Video Ads for Minnesota Candidates and Party Sponsored Ads:
 WHEREAS an estimated nine percent of the population in the
state of Minnesota is deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind,
 WHEREAS many people who are deaf, hard of hearing or
deafblind rely upon captioning to understand the messages
that are given by candidates running for office,
 WHEREAS only one percent of all media on the web is
captioned,
 WHEREAS requiring captioning for television and on-line ads
allows all Minnesotans to participate fully in the election
process
 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the parties require the captioning of
television and online video ads for Minnesota candidates and
party sponsored ads.
What if they debate this resolution
 Response: It is currently the law. We are just
asking candidates to comply with it. Some of
the candidates are complying, others are not.
 It is not expensive. There is do-it-yourself
captioning software and there are some
caption providers who charge as little as $3
per minute.
Resolution Exercise
 Take a few minutes to draft your own
resolution on an issue that matters to you.
 Address an issue of importance to you at the
local or state level.
 Avoid too many “whereas” clauses.
 Be concise!
How do I present my resolution?
 There is time for resolutions on the agenda.
 Present your proposal and the reasons for it.
Be persuasive! (It helps to lobby early and
have copies).
 If there is disagreement, the caucus chair will
facilitate debate (often 3 statements for and 3
against).
 Vote!
What’s next?
 If you are elected to be a delegate to the
senate district/county convention, plan to
attend and participate fully.
 Lead a subcaucus while there.
 Nominate yourself to be a delegate to the
congressional district convention and the
state convention.
 Promote your resolution and others that you
support.
How can I encourage others to
participate?
 Send information about local caucuses to
friends, neighbors, and relatives
 Give them a reason to come: tap into the
issues that matter to your community
 For example- some people feel strongly
about not having tax payers pay for a new
stadium. If you feel strongly about that- show
up! Write a resolution. Ask candidates if they
support a publicly financed stadium.
Have fun!
 And be proud that you have been part of the
initial steps of a process that is essential to
shaping the future of your community and the
state of Minnesota.
How do I find my precinct?
 Call your party
 Go to the Secretary of State’s website:
 http://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us
 Or call the Secretary of State’s office:
 651-215-1440 or 1-877-600-8683
(Answered 8:00 – 4:30, Monday – Friday, excluding holidays)
How do I find my precinct caucus?
 Republican Party
www.mngop.org
651-222-0022 (Metro)
877-467-6466 (GM)
 Feb 2, 2010, 7:00 p.m.
 Democratic-FarmerLabor Party
www.dfl.org
651-293-1200 (Metro)
800-999-7457 (GM)
 Feb 2, 2010, 7:00 p.m.
 Independence Party
www.mnip.org
651-487-9700
 Feb 2, 2010, 7:00 p.m.
 Green Party
www.mngreens.org
651-288-2820
 Feb 2, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
How do I request interpreters?
 MN state law requires that political parties pay
for interpreters or CART, but requests must be
made in writing.
To request an interpreter or CART, contact:
 Democratic Party
 Jan Rein: [email protected] or Fax: 651-251-6325
 Republican Party
 Barbara Linert: [email protected] or Fax: 651-224-4122
 Independence Party
 Secretary: [email protected] or Fax: 651-789-0307
 Green Party
 Contact: [email protected]
One last thought…
 Precinct caucuses are only one of many
ways to affect the political process
 Other options during 2010 elections season:
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Party Meet-Ups
Candidate Campaigns
Issue Campaigns
Nonpartisan Voter Engagement