Super Tuesday open discussion

Being independent, I get nothing. Nothing from the Secretary of state, and nothing from any of the parties, therefore I have no idea of what to do other than wait until the election in Nov.

Good morning Richard! Even though you're figuring on a wait before you place your vote, are you keeping an eye on today's results? That's pretty active in its own right.

I, being a regional sort of guy, and that region does indeed include the state in which I live, I do care.

I have a few folks I'm watching and am interested in how they do in the several states in this region in which I live

That's cool. MPR is streaming live audio / video of the DFL Senate Candidate Debate, if that ties into your plans or interest.

I checked in on our show line up leading to the debate:

10a ET / 9a CT: Candidates, voters gear up for big day

12 noon ET / 11a CT: The issues driving presidential politics

I care, too! Here is a brief overview for Minnesota including links to the Secretary of State, etc."

Thanks, Diana, your Gather article is a great resource!

Hi, I'm reportingon Oklahoma primary.We have bad weather today,but it doesn't seem to be having an effect on voter turnout. How isyour weather?

Hi Carol - I'm in Minneapolis, and the weather isn't bad (considering it's February). Not that cold keeps Minnesotans away from the polls or caucuses. I stood in line for two hours in freezing temperatures on Saturday, to hear Obama speak. The line was at least a mile long, and we all chatted and laughed while waiting to get inside, and there was a real sense of excitement and camaraderie. We lurve politics here in the blue state of MN!

Why is the Secretary of State in Minnesota so cheap that they can't fund a mailing to all registered voters prior to the elections, whatever election there is so we folks out here aren't kept in the dark.

I for example never have no clue as to what issues could be on the ballot. Therefore I need to read those issues in the ballot box taking time in there trying to figure out what I want to do. If I has a mailing that included the issues that would be on the ballot earlier, I wouldn't need to read and make up my mind in the ballot box.

And by the way I only go to the general elections as I never have any clue of any other elections, as I don't get a local paper at all.

Hi Carol. I don't think our weather is an issue right now, not sure about later today.

Zeldapie glad you chimed in! We do love politics here, don't we.

Good question, Rick...

Thanks for the Select a candidate tab. I'm going to check it out and see what it has to say.

I'm in Ohio, so nothing's going on here. I'm still keeping my eye on the results....

Hope it was useful for you Crystal!

Kathy, the returns should be verrrrrrry interesting to watch!

We had a big classroom, but we were crowded in like clowns in a tiny car. I passed my voting slip to the guy and left. The streets were packed for blocks all around as cars looked for a place to park.

If it weren't practically historic to have a centrist, from either party, still running at this stage of the campaign, I might not have crashed the DFL caucus with my Independence party self.

Hope Hillary wins Minnesota.

"We had a big classroom, but we were crowded in like clowns in a tiny car. I passed my voting slip to the guy and left. The streets were packed for blocks all around as cars looked for a place to park." - Tim Nelson

That's a great description, Tim. The turnout for both the DFL and GOP caucuses has been huge. Wonder how the The Independence Party's "virtual caucus" will work online, and the Green Party's caucus isn't until Tuesday, March 4th, so we'll have to see how everything turns out.

Tonight at the St. Louis Park caucus, Al Franken was standing on the landing between me and the stairs. I shook his hand, but my seventeen-year-old daughter declined.

Later, directly after I'd been voted Associate Precinct Chair, Al stopped in and stumped a bit. He's not tall. He's got swollen hands. I like his hair. He's personable. I think he has the chuzpah to do the job. Thing is, I've heard great things about a third person vying for the spot: Jack Nelson-Pallmyer.

Our caucus leader told us the crowds were three times what they'd seen before.

The DFL caucuses were a logistical nightmare. In a regular presidential year, the room for my caucus is cramped and uncomfortable. This year, we had more than twice the usual crowd. Some intending to stay left because of the lack of chairs and room. Those who stayed had to deal with people coming in during the meeting to vote or find where they belonged. The precinct maps provided were so small that we could not read the street names. The new sign-in sheets were cumbersome, confusing, and short of supply. There was no security for the ballots. We had seventeen more ballots cast than there were people registered. The "large" envelopes provided for the ballots were not large at all, and could barely hold the ballots. It was exciting to see large numbers of people participating, but in the end, it was pretty much the same people as usual staying for the meeting.

This hybrid experiment did not work. If the DFL wants a primary, then there should be a primary where we can verify addresses and have a calm, secure system of voting. If the DFL wants to continue the caucus system, then we should go back to caucuses where neighbors get to know each other and vote as part of a meeting.

I suspect that Obama did legitimately win in Minnesota, but I am certain also that his numbers were inflated by electoral mishaps.

DFL Caucuses? What a mess! There *has* to be a better system than this.

Yes, it was crowded, chaotic and no one knew where they were supposed to be but I was actually heartened by that. How wonderful that so many people showed up to participate in democracy! For next time, I'd recommend much better signage.

However, the best words to describe how my husband and I feel about our first (likely last) caucus experience is ripped off. We went to express our presidential preference, yes, but we also went to caucus for our chosen senate candidate. We were contacted by the senate campaign numerous times and I even made phone calls to people in my precinct encouraging them to get out and caucus for the candidate. What a joke!

None of the senate candidate's names were mentioned and we had to sit for an hour and a half (including sitting through an in-person campaign commercial from our representative in which she railed on Gov. Pawlenty for 10 minutes) before we could sign up to be delegates--which, it was explained, is the only way to express a preference for senate and entailed a day-long training session plus another day-long event to "vote".

At least half of the people in the room showed up for the same reasons we did and were not aware of this. From reading literature sent by senate campaigns and watching "caucus" videos online, we all believed they could make some sort of difference in the senate campaign last night. How misleading. And a big thumbs down to the MN DFL who made people sit through an hour and a half of miscellany before allowing them to sign up to be delegates.

My husband, a new American citizen who's participating in the process for the first time ever, was very disillusioned and so was I. New system please!

LM S., I think your critique is harsh. If you had not shown up to the precinct caucus, you would never had a chance to help decide the Senate nominee, now you do as a Delegate. Yes, it is more complicated than people imply, which is deception I cannot defend, but I've been in the DFL for six years now and have discovered that the complexity is a good thing. I wish there was an easier way to make it more welcoming to new members, but I wonder if there is a psychological difference between the regulars and the newcomers. I guess most people see the DFL as a tool that is valued only for efficiency, but those of us who are active see it as a community and a place to find friends and support. Last night was a celebration for those of us who were too busy, and exhausted from the challenge!

I was the Caucus Chair for my precinct and I think we did a good job of doing the full business of the party and simultaneously accomodating those who only wanted to vote for the presidential nominee. I was so excited, we had ten times as many people show up!!

It's too bad that youre not thrilled about your experience, but democratic (small "d") politics and governance (like in the US, Europe, and a few other nations) has never, ever been about efficiency. It is a serious attempt to do what is right, and if that means it take an hour and a half, then so be it. If that means we need to go through a complex process, then so be it. Everyone I have met who was satisfied with the caucus was because of the implications, and the overall effect, not because they had a great time.

Might you consider, if the caucus was too much work, then maybe going to the Capitol Building, a protest or rally is also too much work? All of politics is work, democratic politics especially. Rejoice in what we have, even if it cost us much!

I too went to my precinct caucus as a newbie and I did see processes that could have been more organized and efficient, but it sure was exciting seeing so many of my neighbors and the lines down the block waiting to get in. I jumped in and started helping people get signed in out in a hallway and was surprised when I entered the caucus room and so how many had stayed after casting their vote!

One woman told me in 30 years of caucusing they had NEVER gotten all the delegates they needed and this year the list overflowed.

I still don't pretend to understand everything that happened last night and am sure things could have been spelled out more and I could have been better informed before I shoed up, but you have to start somewhere. I hope this momentum keeps rolling!

TO Nick A regarding response to LM S . . .

I, too, was a first time attendee of a caucus. My thoughts were identical to LM S.
I described it as exhilirating and pathetic at the same time. It is amusing that you went on the defense so quickly instead of acknowledging that the majority of new attendees might have felt the same way. A response from you, a caucus chair, would have been better received if it were more encouraging to LM S instead of berating. A sign of a good leader is the ability to hear "harsh criticism" and convert it to improving the situation. When I got home, I was so upset with the bungling mess that was represented by my local caucus that I contacted my MN House Rep and volunteered for next time. They obviously need help. Across the State, these same "harsh criticism" have been recorded. So deal with it. Funny enough, my MN House Rep has already emailed me, thanking me for "signing up" and for my "straw vote". Funny. I thought my vote counted! Funny response from a House Rep, don't you think? Nick, I think you owe LM S an apology.

Nick, I think you spoke well in response to LMS. At my own caucus in St. Louis Park, our precinct chair, Lisa, was phenomenal. She kept the focus despite a constant flow of people coming in to either vote and leave or vote and caucus.

I wonder where folks get the idea that these essentially volunteer-run democratic meetings ought to be professionally run and stream-lined so as not to inconvenience the attendees? I mean, did the time spent at the caucus impinge on your squeezing in "House?" Mighta just taped it.

I left with my daughter to walk over to the voting site at 6:45 p.m. I returned home in just under two hours. The only thing I lost was a few calories from the trip itself.

Susan, I think you just did a Nick.

On the other hand, the process did get us Amy Klobuchar, so it can't be all bad.

Okay, Tim Nelson, I'm happily asking you what I said that was untactful? Or otherwise incorrect? If you'd be specific, I might be able to improve myself. :-)

Ah, I'm sure you all will iron out those details. But to be certain, I love these first time stories from all perspectives. It reveals people's expectations and maybe, just maybe, some opportunity for folks to get involved in a fresh new way. Really: Caucus goers turn out in record numbers - that can't be a bad thing, can it?

Groan,

"too bad that youre not thrilled" (that was Nick)

"so as not to inconvenience" (not Nick)

Really it's a matter of talking down to someone else. I'm really good at it too.

Nailed.

;-)

The DFL Caucus here in Rochester on Tuesday was a joke. There was no attempt to establish if someone was registered, if they were old enough to vote or if they lived in the precinct they were voting in. They had no idea who I was. They ran out of ballots and I wrote the candidates name on a blank sheet of paper. I could have easily voted 15-20 times. It's a farce that this process was used to determine who we'll be able to vote for in the actual election.