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Minnesota Family Council


 

Dear John,

Tomorrow you'll have a chance to impact our state by participating
in party caucuses. This is a wonderful opportunity to love
our neighbors and to be "salt and light" for the direction of a
political party and the selection of candidates for office at the most
basic level. When we as Christians bring our convictions of life,
family, and religious freedom to the caucus process, we have
a real chance of improving the political discourse in our state - and
I think we can all agree that it must be improved! 

Just a few things to note before we get started: first, unlike in past
years, the presidential straw poll will not take place during the
caucus. Instead, Minnesota will hold a presidential primary next
Tuesday, March 3. 

Second, this year, your participation is crucial. Some folks in our
state want to remove all references to protecting life and advocating
for religious freedom from major party platforms. Your participation
in your local caucus is the only thing that will ensure this doesn't
happen. Because, as Minnesotans, we value life, family, and religious
freedom. Tomorrow, we have a chance to put that into action. Are you
ready? Let's get started!

What You Need to Know and Do to Participate in Caucuses Tomorrow
(CLICK HERE). - Or keep reading!
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1. Find your "house district" and precinct
name/number, as well as the specific location for your caucus by
following this link to the Minnesota Secretary of State's
website: [link removed] . IMPORTANT: choose
which party you want to caucus for. Here is a comparison of the two
major parties in Minnesota, the Republican Party and the
Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party from our friends at Family Research
Council Action.
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2. Show up!  Honestly, this is the most important thing. At this
level, the party is quite literally run by those who show
up. Visit with your neighbors before and after you sign in at
6:30 p.m.

3. The caucus should convene promptly at 7 p.m., and as things
begin, don't be shy about asking questions - everybody is
a volunteer and, often, half the people in any given precinct are
there for the first time.

4. There will be somebody who convenes the meeting in your
precinct, and the first order of business is to elect somebody to run
the caucus - it may or may not be the convener. Then there will
usually be some precinct organizing done, such as electing a
"precinct chair" who will be active for the coming
two-year cycle (or longer).  This is also the time and place to
submit a resolution to influence your party's official platform
- the most powerful part of caucuses (see below).

After adopting resolutions, the party will elect delegates to
represent your precinct at the conventions that follow, from the
Senate District level right up to the national. After that, the caucus
will eventually adjourn. This is the formal step that ends the caucus
if you've stayed to the end - but you can always leave whenever you
need to because the entire process is voluntary!

Okay, let's talk about how to create a caucus resolution.

Creating a Caucus Resolution - CLICK HERE for our complete guide!
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They often start with
"Whereas..." "Whereas" is a way to
introduce a reason, or a series of reasons, supporting the action
item. They're a form of persuasion or logical argument; the
whereas parts let somebody make the case.

You fill in the form and present it to your precinct caucus chair (or
some other volunteer) the particular rules and procedures for adopting
them will be made clear by your caucus chairperson, but you can start
filling out the form at any time.

Here are four resolutions that will help your party move toward
protecting life, family, and religious freedom:

Combating Physician-Assisted Suicide

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Preserving Religious Freedom

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Giving Students Privacy and Freedom of Speech

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Recognizing Pornography as a Public Health Crisis

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When presenting your resolution, make sure to use the correct form for
your party:
GOP Resolution Form

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DFL Resolution Form

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Finally, it's important to note that though caucusing is
not difficult, it requires patience and perseverance while
everyone gets a chance to have their say, and to follow procedure for
an orderly process. Besides voting, it's the most basic level of
political involvement; it will take thousands of Minnesotans working
together at this level to achieve the changes we want to see
in the party platforms - changes that would benefit all Minnesotans
who value life, family, and religious freedom - and to
choose candidates for elected office who will champion those values if
elected!

So, don't be intimidated or discouraged from attending because
you're uncertain how it will work! Let's exercise
"citizenship worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Philippians
1:27) and boldly let our voices be heard and our light shine in the
2020 caucuses! 

Parts of this caucus participation explainer have been adapted with
permission from the Minnesota Catholic Conference.
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- The Minnesota Family Council Team

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Minnesota Family Council 
2855 Anthony Lane South
Minneapolis, MN, 55418-3265

Phone 612.789.8811 / FAX
612.789.8858

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