Get involved, locally

Tip O’Neill, former US Speaker of the House, often used the phrase, “all politics is local.”

Minnesotans will get the opportunity to participate in state-wide politics at the local level next week. An often-ignored, frequently misunderstood, but important part of the political process plays out Tuesday, Feb. 6.

That is when Minnesota’s major political parties hold their precinct caucuses, the first step in nominating candidates for the 2018 elections.

Caucuses are neighborhood meetings of like-minded people who gather to discuss issues and give support to candidates of their political party. This November, voters will select candidates for governor, for two U.S. Senate seats, for the U.S. House and for other statewide and legislative offices. The caucus is the first step in deciding who the candidates will be.

During most “off-year” elections, and even during many presidential election years, the caucuses are sparsely attended. But in 2016, interest in the presidential race led to unprecedented attendance at caucuses, with many people becoming involved in the political process for the first time. The heavy turnout led the legislature to implement a primary system for future presidential elections.

During the caucus, local delegates will be chosen to the party’s district or county conventions, often based on their preference for governor. Delegates will also discuss and vote on resolutions that they would like to see become part of the party’s platform for the coming year, and local precinct officers will be chosen to help organize the party’s efforts at the local level during the upcoming campaign season.

We encourage people to turn out and make their voice heard on Tuesday.

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