Proctor Journal

It will be Minnesota’s turn next week. The State’s precinct caucuses will be held Tues., Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. Attendees can vote on the presidential preference ballot from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The DFL will meet:

• Bay View Pct. 33 - Central High School

• Canosia - Pike Lake Elementary

• Grand Lake - Solway Town Hall

• Industrial - Solway Town Hall

• Midway – Proctor Community Center

• Solway - Caribou Lake School

• Proctor – Proctor Area Community Center

Republican:

• Bay View - Proctor High School

• Canosia - Canosia Town Hall

• Grand Lake - Caribou Lake School

• Industrial - Caribou Lake School

• Midway - Proctor High School

• Solway - Caribou Lake School

• Proctor - Proctor High School

The precinct caucuses were moved from March to coincide with the biggest single day on the presidential primary schedule - Feb. 5, known as “Super Tuesday”. The day will involve primaries or caucuses in 22 states

Precinct caucuses in Minnesota are small gatherings conducted by each political party. The gatherings are open to any eligible voters who support the party’s positions and candidates. Caucus night is the first step in the process of endorsing candidates for state, legislative and congressional offices and for making changes in the party’s platform.

This year, caucuses of the Republican and Democratic-Farmer-Labor parties will take a preference poll on presidential candidates. The DFL will conduct a binding ballot that will determine the percentage of delegates each presidential candidate will receive at the Democratic National Convention. “It’s the equivalent of Minnesota’s presidential primary,’’ said Brian Melendez, the DFL state chairman.

Lawyer Mike Ciresi, comedian Al Franken, teacher Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and lawyer and activist Jim Cohen need to organize delegates at this first round of gatherings to maximize their strength at the state DFL convention in June in Rochester.

All four promised to honor the Rochester DFL endorsement. They will not challenge the endorsed Democrat in a primary. That makes the caucuses a vital first step to determine who will challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman in November.

The Independence Party, is the state’s third “major party.’’ They earned the designation from its candidates’ performance in past elections. They will conduct an “online caucus.”

The Independence Party will focus on legislative and congressional candidates.

The Green Party of Minnesota will have caucuses March 4. They no longer have “major party” status and are not legally required to hold precinct caucuses.