Voters uncertain or confused about the precinct caucuses on Feb. 5 had an opportunity Sunday night to learn how they work, over coffee, fruit salad and tortillas.
More than 30 people crammed into the living room of the Aspenwood Club House for a question-and-answer meeting organized by Progressive Action Duluth.
The gathering was led by Jeannette Martimo, the DuluthDemocratic-Farmer-Labor party's associate chairwoman and longtime caucus-goer. It focused on common questions about the precinct caucuses, such as who can participate, how delegates are selected and how the presidential preference ballot works.
"Some people are totally unaware of what a caucus even is," Martimo said.
When asked who had been to a caucus, only a few people raised their hands. One who kept her hand down was Sandra Holcomb of Duluth. She said she had never thought of caucuses as an important part of the political process.
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"I always thought it didn't make a difference," Holcomb said.
This year, though, a friend, Siegrun Horst, also of Duluth, persuaded her to become more involved. Issues such as jobs, health care, alternative energy and the war in Iraq make this year's caucuses especially important, they said.
"We have to have change," Holcomb said.
Mark Fink also had never been to a caucus. He and his wife, Maggie, recently moved back to Duluth from Idaho. Fink said his desire to get more involved in local politics and the excitement surrounding this year's elections are what inspired him to learn more about the precinct caucuses.
"I'd like to be able to participate the best way I can," Fink said.
After the meeting, Dan Bonhiver said that while he knows more now about how the caucuses work, he's still a bit confused, especially about how delegates are selected. He said that he'll participate regardless, because he wants to be involved in an election year that he says is going to draw a lot of interest.
"I think it's going to show nationally," he said.
On the state level, the DFL and Republican parties have announced that they will work together to promote participation in the Feb. 5 precinct caucuses. Both parties will be involved in opinion articles and events to promote the caucuses.
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Both parties have said they expect larger turnouts this year because of the wide-open nature of the presidential race, as well as the potential for Minnesota to have a much greater voice than in previous years in the presidential nomination. Minnesota's caucuses were moved to "Super Tuesday" this year, when 24 states will hold primary elections or caucuses for one or both parties. State caucuses in 2006 were held on March 7.
Local Duluth DFL official Bill Cortes talked about the importance of creating change on the precinct level.
"Some of us have a vision for what this party lacks, and changing it all goes back to the grass roots," he said.
