Make Your Voice Heard!

On Tuesday, February 2, 2010 Minnesotans will gather together in their local schools and government centers to exercise one of our most important rights: to organize and express ourselves politically through the precinct caucus system.  Whether you have never attended a caucus or are a long-time activist, we want to want to encourage you to attend neighborhood Republican caucus. Precinct caucuses mark the beginning of the campaign season in our great state and form the foundation of our Party.

2010 - Important Dates

• Tue., Feb. 2: SD-45 Precinct Caucuses Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 7:00 pm
  Check the sidebar for your house/senate district for details
  Not sure what district you're in? Go to the MNGOP's Precinct Finder.

• BPOU Conventions
  Check the sidebar for your house/senate district for details
  Not sure what district you're in? Find out here.
  
• Sat., April 10: CD-5 Convention - De La Salle High School.  Information coming soon
  
• Summer: State Convention - information coming soon
• Tue., November 2: Election Day

Caucus FAQs - your questions answered!

• Who can attend the caucuses?
• What if I work or have school that evening?
• What do I do when I show up?
• What's happening at the caucuses?
• How do I become a delegate?

> Get answers here

Roles and responsibilities

DELEGATE

• Attend conventions
• Pre-register when possible, arrive early to read packet of registration materials and stay as long as needed to finish the business of the day
• Notify precinct chair for either “yes” or “no” attendance at the BPOU Convention
• Help to elect BPOU (senate/house district) officers
• Endorse candidates and work to get them elected
• Help to elect delegates/alternates to Congressional District and State Conventions and to State Central
• Vote on resolutions to help the process of developing the State Party Platform

ALTERNATE

• Attend BPOU Convention if delegate is unable to attend and fulfill the above tasks
• May attend convention even if not serving in place of a delegate
• Endorse candidates and work to get them elected

VICE-CHAIRS / DISTRICT CHAIRS

• Attend BPOU meetings
• Faithfully carry out the jobs for which you volunteer
• Work with the committee to accomplish the various jobs of the BPOU and take your fair share in the work
• Take on Coordinator positions which suit your talents and interests

PRECINCT CHAIRS

As a Precinct Chair, you are one of the leaders of the Republican Party in your Senate District for the next two years after an election. You have an opportunity to make a difference for your Senate District, the state, and the country. You can be involved in the political process and have fun at the same time with peers in your neighborhood! What you can do:

• Fill the delegation for the BPOU conventions during your 2-year term. There is usually one convention per year however during the even years, there may be two conventions - one for endorsing and one for electing delegates, alternates and voting on resolutions.
• Attend precinct leader training session provided by SD-45 for which an invitation will be sent or be handed out to you at the precinct caucuses.
• Assist with Republican Party activities by serving on committees, event planning, voter identification, etc. We welcome your ideas!
• Support your endorsed Republican candidates
• Attend your BPOU meetings as invited.

Speaking the Language

First time caucus-goers can sometimes be confused by the jargon used during the meeting. Here is a quick translation of some of the most common bits of political jargon:

BPOU - Basic Political Organizational Unit (in a House/Senate District. Ours is 45)

Call -  The official notice of a party convention or meeting.

Caucus -  A party meeting.

Delegate -  A person elected to represent their group at higher party meetings. Delegates are usually elected based on the candidates or positions that they support.

Endorsement -  When the delegates vote as a party unit to support a candidate. The candidate may then receive party resources to support his or her election efforts. However, endorsed candidates must still win the party's nomination at the primary election

Election Judge -  A person nominated by a major party and appointed by a city or township to administer voting at a precinct polling place.

Major Party -  A party receiving the support of 5% of the number of people voting at the last state general election and a vote in each of Minnesota’s 87 counties.

Nomination -  Candidates must be nominated before their names will be listed on the November election ballot. Major party candidates are nominated at the state primary election in September.

Party Platform -  The list of principles and issues positions that guide candidates, workers and members of a political party.

Precinct -  A voting district containing one polling place.

Resolution -  A written statement of an idea, issue, concern or action for people to consider at a caucus for possible addition to the party platform.

The 2009 elections are over, but there are still ways to make a difference locally. Consider applying for county and city appointed positions -- it's a great way for future candidates to build experience or for those who want to become actively involved in city government.

Advisory Boards and Commission openings:

• Columbia Heights
• Crystal
• Fridley
• Golden Valley
• Minneapolis
• Plymouth
• Richfield
• Robbinsdale
• St. Louis Park

Join members of other political parties at the 7th Annual Nonpartisan Party this Saturday! From MNGOP Mark Drake:

Leaders from the DFL, Republican, Green, and Independence parties will come together on Saturday for the seventh annual Nonpartisan Party, which celebrates elections and volunteer political activism.

“It’s important to take the time to build relationships and nurture friendships across party lines and, each year, this event lets us set partisanship aside and bring volunteers together in our common love for politics. We need to remind ourselves from time to time that we are citizens first, partisans second” said DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “We’re glad to welcome for the first time the state chairs of all four parties, and we encourage Minnesotans from all parties to join in.”

The first Nonpartisan Party was held in 2003, when there were neither federal, state, legislative, nor municipal elections scheduled in Minneapolis.

“Politics is a contact sport but the Nonpartisan Party is a great idea because it gives hard working activists across the political spectrum a chance to get to know one another as fellow Minnesotans. This event promises to be a fun and worthwhile time,” Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton said.

 

Thanks to everyone that helped during the 2009 campaign, either by helping a candidate directly or calling from the 5th CD phone bank. I was extremely impressed with the amount of activity in an odd year.

Furthermore, congratulations to SD-44 for helping get a candidate sympathetic to Republicans (Warren Goodroad) elected to the Hopkins School Board, and to the Minneapolis City Committee for helping to defeat the Charter Amendment eliminating the Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation. Despite the lack of victories for our candidates in Minneapolis, it should be noted that several performed extremely well when compared to our 2008 Federal races (nearly a 10% increase for 2 candidates in Minneapolis). We will have a more detailed analysis ready by the time of the Full Committee meeting, Tuesday, December 1.

Volunteers and friends are invited to the 7th Annual Nonpartisan Party on Saturday, November 21st in Minneapolis. The event this year will be co-hosted by DFL Chair Brian Melendez and GOP State Chair Tony Sutton. Please contact me with any questions.

Carleton Crawford, Chair