My Point of View by Jennifer Vogt-Erickson

Precinct caucuses are the grassroots, neighborhood level of political participation and a great way to get involved in the democratic process. Political parties across the state of Minnesota hold precinct caucuses on the same night, at the same time. This year, caucuses will be held on Tuesday, March 1.

Registration for the DFL Party precinct caucuses for Freeborn County will open at 6 p.m. at the Eagle’s Club in downtown Albert Lea. Anyone 16 or older who considers themselves a member of the DFL Party and is not an active member of another political party is welcome to participate. In order to vote on the presidential preference ballot or to become a delegate to the county convention, one has to be 18 and eligible to vote by Nov. 8.

The first step will be to sign in and provide your address. The caucus meeting will begin at 7 p.m., and business for the night will include elections for local party leaders and delegates, discussion of proposed resolutions to the DFL platform and preference ballot for the party’s presidential nominee.

If a person wishes to take part in just the DFL presidential preference ballot, they can sign in, fill out a ballot and leave. Balloting and registration closes at 8 p.m., unless people still remain in line to register.

The preference ballot helps determine how many delegates each candidate will get at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this summer. Seventy-seven of Minnesota’s 93 delegates to the convention will be pledged based on results of the precinct caucuses vote. Presidential candidates must receive at least 15 percent of the vote to be pledged delegates.

The delegates themselves will be selected at later conventions. Freeborn County will select its delegates to the district and state conventions at the DFL county convention at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 10, also at the Eagle’s Club. These delegates are eligible to run for five national delegate spots from the First Congressional District, which will be elected at the district convention.

To see the DFL platform or to download a resolution form in advance, visit www.dfl.org. Hover over the “Our Party” tab and choose “Caucuses and Conventions” from the drop-down menu.

For a brief overview, some of the DFL Party’s main priorities are:

• Stable funding for public education at all levels

• Preservation of the family farm and farmland

• Small business and community development through fair competition and reinvestment

•Increasing energy efficiency and availability of renewable energy to decrease dependence on fossil fuels

• Affordable health care for all

• A minimum wage that provides an income above the poverty line for full time workers

• Maintaining civil and constitutional rights

•Protecting consumers from unsafe products and fraudulent practices

• Campaign finance reform and responsible, responsive government

• Preservation of wilderness and biodiversity

Fun fact: Minnesota is the only state with a DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) Party. The state’s Democratic Party merged with the Farmer-Labor Party in 1944 under Hubert Humphrey’s leadership. The Farmer-Labor Party emerged from the Nonpartisan League and progressive movement in the early 1920s and won three gubernatorial contests, four Senate seats and eight congressional seats over the two decades prior to the merger. The combined DFL Party has been a key part of Minnesota’s political landscape ever since.

Be a part of this proud tradition — now 72 years strong — of making life more livable and the future filled with brighter possibilities for everyone, regardless of their circumstances. Together we can do great things.

 

Jennifer Vogt-Erickson is a member of the Freeborn County DFL Party.