By Don Heinzman

The presidential election fever is bound to affect the turnout at Minnesota’s precinct caucuses only less than a month away.

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, Minnesota will conduct precinct caucuses along with other states. Central committees of both political parties voted to move up the date from March 4 to Feb. 5, and this alone could mean greater interest and up to 25 percent greater attendance.

Just as in Iowa and New Hampshire, younger voters and independent voters are expected to attend the Minnesota caucuses.

Normally, delegates elected to the precinct caucuses are the party regulars, but when turnouts are heavier than expected, anything can happen.

In Minnesota’s Democratic and Republican precinct caucuses, delegates will vote for the presidential candidates of their choice, and the results will determine the presidential preference at the National Democratic Convention. The Republican vote at the caucus is non-binding.

Political parties also will elect delegates to the county, senate and district conventions and begin the process of selecting delegates who will determine the candidates for Minnesota House Districts, congressional districts and a U.S. Senate Race where Senator Norm Coleman, a Republican, is up for reelection.

Excitement is building for candidates of both political parties, but Minnesotans can be forgiven for wondering if the political wave of desired change sweeping the country can be likened to the election of Jesse Ventura as Minnesota’s governor. 

Back then, young people and independent voters got involved in the political process and overwhelmed the base of voters of both political parties.

While some may lament these late-comers to the political parties, most will agree having that involvement is a breath of fresh air to a politically grid-locked process.

Anyone may attend the local precinct political caucus, regardless but they must declare they agree with the political party’s principles. They also may vote for the chairs of the caucuses and they may work to become delegates to the county and senate district conventions. Rather than having county conventions, the Republican Party has Basic Political Organizing Unit conventions.

The Presidential Preference poll at the DFL neighborhood precinct caucuses will go from 6:30 to 8 p.m.  Results of that poll will determine preference of Minnesota’s 71 delegates for president at the national conventions.

The DFL Party also elects an additional 16 delegates at its state convention. The Republican Party will elect 41 National Convention delegates, 24 at the congressional conventions.

Candidates for congressional office are already contacting possible delegates who could be elected to endorse the candidate at the congressional district and state conventions.

The earlier precinct caucus date, along with the excitement building in the presidential primaries, are combining to make Minnesota’s precinct caucuses more exciting than ever.

Don’t miss out on the action.

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