What to Expect at a Precinct Caucus

by Jackson Harvey with contributions from Erik Radtke

Are you planning to attend a precinct caucus, and would like to know what to expect?  Here you will find details that will help you to feel well prepared for this event.

1. What is a precinct as it relates to the Scott Country Republicans in Minnesota?

2. What is a precinct caucus?

3. What will happen at the 2012 precinct caucus?

1. What is a Precinct?

The lowest level of government activity is the precinct.  Each address is assigned to a specific precinct. Each precinct has a specific polling place, the location where its residents go to vote.  In Scott County, the average precinct contains approximately 1,800 registered voters.

In Scott County, the constitutionally defined precinct-level officers of the Republican Party are the two precinct co-chairs, or chair and vice-chair.  Some precincts also have a precinct secretary.  These officers are elected to two-year terms at the precinct caucus.  The duties of these positions are to coordinate the activities of the Scott County Republicans in their precinct, and to perform other functions assigned to them by the Scott County Republicans Executive Committee.  Both precinct chairs (or chair and vice-chair) are voting members on the Scott County Republicans Full Committee.

The precincts in Scott County are given in the following table, along with the house district, senate district, BPOU, and commissioner district.

2. What is a Precinct Caucus?

A precinct caucus is a meeting open to all of the members of a political party within a precinct.  Precinct caucuses are held every two years (in even-numbered years).  Minnesota has an open caucus, which means that voters of any affiliation may attend the caucus of any party.  To participate at a caucus you must be eligible to vote in the following state general election and support or be likely to support the candidates of the political party whose caucus you attend.  The next precinct caucuses will occur on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.

3. What is the 2012 Precinct Caucus Agenda?

The business of the precinct caucuses includes:

1. Election of delegates and alternates to the BPOU convention. A predetermined number of delegates will be elected by the caucus attendees to represent the precinct at the Scott County Republican BPOU Conventions for the next two years.  The number of delegates and alternates is derived by taking 1/60 the number of ballots cast in that precinct for the Republican candidate for Governor of Minnesota in the most recent Gubernatorial Election (a.k.a. Tom Emmer).

2. Submission of and voting on resolutions that the party conventions may make a part of their platform. The Republican Party platform is a culmination of the thoughts and opinions of its constituents at the grassroots level.  At this point, neither the Republican State Party of Minnesota nor the Scott County Republicans are planning to introduce platform changes or resolutions at the 2012 Precinct Caucus, but resolutions could be introduced up to the day of the caucus. 

3. Election of precinct officers. Per the constitution of the Scott County Republicans, the Precinct shall elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary to a two year term.  These individuals are also members of the Full Committee of the Scott County Republicans.

4. Straw ballot for presidential candidates. The 2012 Precinct Caucus will include a straw ballot for the Republican nominee for president.  Balloting will be secret, but results will be shared immediately.

Attending the precinct caucus is an important first step in getting involved in the Republican Party.  We hope you find this article helpful in preparing for a successful caucus.