The DFL has joined the RPM in moving its caucuses to February 5th.
Nearly 90 percent of the DFL State Central Committee voted to move the caucus date forward.
The potential move to the new caucus date was reported here on MNPublius first.
The press release after the jump.
DFLers Move Caucuses to February 5
State Central Committee Votes Overwhelmingly to Move Precinct Caucuses
St. Paul , MN (August 28, 2007) The Minnesota DFL Party today announced that it will hold its precinct caucuses on February 5, 2008. The move is expected to greatly increase grassroots participation, and is also intended to welcome new participants into the political process.
The State DFL Central Committee voted on the proposed change by mail ballot. The final tally was 277.5 votes for the move, to 33.5 votes against — a majority of 89.2%.
The State DFL Executive Committee, a smaller body, had unanimously recommended the move at a meeting on June 9. State DFL Chair Brian Melendez and State GOP Chair Ron Carey met on June 22, and agreed to propose the move to their parties’ governing bodies. The State GOP Executive Committee, a 13-member body, approved the change in July.
Since 1991, the major political parties have held their precinct caucuses on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March, so the next caucuses would have been held on March 4, 2008. The Minnesota Statutes currently contemplate caucuses on that date. The parties are not bound by the statutory date, but may nevertheless ask the Legislature to amend the statute so that certain public buildings are available by law on caucus night.
“Earlier caucuses will give Minnesotans a greater say in who will be the next President of the United States , and will hopefully engage more Minnesotans in grassroots politics,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “We are pleased that the Republican Party has joined in this move, and we look forward to promoting the new dates. We also look forward to welcoming all Minnesotans who want to change our country’s direction to join long-time and first-time DFLers in attending our 2008 precinct caucuses.”
Historically, Minnesota has held caucuses in February before: from 1969 to 1983, and from 1987 to 1991, the statutory date set precinct caucuses on the fourth Tuesday in February. Before 1969, each party’s county executive committee could schedule caucuses on a date of its choosing.
Full Disclosure: I am a member of the DFL State Central Committee and I am one of the votes in favor of moving the caucus date forward.
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Someone needs to do something to restore a little order and sanity to the primary calendar and the presidential nominating process.
I don’t precisely disagree with the decision to move MN’s caucus date forward; for one thing, it’s a caucus and not a primary, so it’s not like it’s the end of the process. But at the same time, it’s just one more step in what I see as being a pretty destructive race front-loading everything.
Everyone wants to move their primaries/caucuses earlier in the calendar so their state “will have a say in who becomes the nominee”. But as things pile up ealier and earlier, all those states will end up getting less and less of one, especially smaller states. If everything is going to get decided in 6 weeks worth of primaries, then you’re going to see candidates working the major media markets and leaving everyone else behind.
It’s also leading towards the death of “retail politics” in the presidential race, which I think is a shame. We’re on a track towards a national primary right now; how many candidates are going to spend a great deal of time having coffee meetings and town hall forums and shaking hands and chatting with potential supporters in that environment? They won’t, because it simply won’t reach enough people. The massive national campaign comes with the general election anyways; why does it have to be there in the primaries too?
There’s also something to be said of having a nice, long primary calendar where you can really get a feel for candidates. Their strength and weaknesses can be evaluated, their policy positions can be examined and refined. One mistake doesn’t kill a campaign, nor does one big hit win it.
I think the eventual solution is probably regional primaries of sorts, put on a rotating schedule so no one has to come in last every time. But I really think there is something to be said for having a couple of caucuses and primaries early in the schedule in smaller states around the country building into the bigger ones. It reduces the need for national name recognition early, or having a massive warchest. It may have the best odds of finding the best candidates to lead the country. I have trouble believing the drive towards a national primary that we’re on will do it.
Hopefully somebody can confirm this for me, but by moving the caucus dates, don’t both parties lose the protection from statute of there not being any “public” events on caucus night?
For instance, virtually all schools schedule their extra-curricular events months in advance, and stay away from having them on caucus night (and township meeting night). Our local school has at least three events scheduled for February 5. I hope they will not be forced to re-schedule, as that would seem unfair.