Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

The precinct caucus is the first level of the DFL Party structure. A precinct is comprised of the voting precinct which can be a township, an entire town, or a voting precinct within a larger community. The precinct caucuses are a foundational pillar to the DFL Party's grassroots history because all Minnesota constituents have the ability to participate at this level.

To find your caucus location, you can use the Secretary of State's Caucus Finder. 

At your precinct caucus, you cast your vote in a Presidential Preference Ballot, propose resolutions that you want included in the DFL platform, and elect delegates to your local conventions. Candidates or elected officials often tour different caucuses to meet with constituents. If you are elected a delegate to your local convention, you will be part of the DFL endorsement process that chooses which candidates the DFL Party will support.

Minnesota Republicans are the champs at saying one thing and doing another.

They crow about job creation, but the government shutdown didn’t put anyone back to work. They lecture about "fiscal responsibility," yet their state party is $1 million in debt.

And all the “family values” and "sanctity of marriage" talk? Well...I’m sure you saw the headlines this weekend.

If you’ve had enough say-one-thing-do-another government, it’s time to act. We can take back the House and Senate, but it’s going to take resources to fully fund our plan to go on the air and door-to-door to win the seats we need.

Our latest tally shows us $12,000 short of what we need, and we can’t put our plan into action unless we make that goal before the December 31 filing deadline. I know it is a tough time of year to ask, but every dollar you give in the next 11 days WILL make a difference.

Nationwide health care law helped 2.5 million young adults

St. Paul – Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided state-by-state numbers showing that the Affordable Care Act continues to significantly increase the number of young adults who have health insurance,  helping 32,000 young adults here in Minnesota and 2.5 million around the country.

Before the Affordable Care Act, more young Americans lacked health insurance than any other age group – accounting for more than one in five of the uninsured.  Going without insurance put the health and finances of millions of young people at risk.  Contrary to the myth that young people don’t need health insurance, one in six young adults has a chronic disease like cancer, diabetes or asthma.  Studies show that nearly half of uninsured young adults reported problems paying their medical bills and others forwent regular care, like checkups or recommended screenings, due to cost.

Two flip-flopping governors ready to stick it to the middle class

St. Paul (May 20, 2011) — Today, Governor Tim Pawlenty held a press conference call to oppose the President’s efforts to create a fairer economy and allow middle class families to keep more of their hard earned money, and instead supported Mitt Romney’s plan to funnel money to the richest 1 percent. DFL Party Chair Ken Martin released this statement in response:

“Tim Pawlenty is the last person who should be speaking on the economy, given the $5 billion dollar deficit and sky-high property taxes he left the people of Minnesota, but the fact that he’s now shilling for Mitt Romney is not surprising.

“Let’s get real – the only person who flip-flops on the issues as much as Mitt Romney is Tim Pawlenty. Mitt Romney can’t even take a position on taking a position, and Tim Pawlenty had trouble taking a position on Mitt Romney.

ST. PAUL (December 1, 2011) –Today, the Minnesota Management and Budget office released the November budget forecast. State DFL Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

"The economic forecast that was released today does not reflect the irresponsible borrow and spend tactics that the Republicans have used to balance our state's budget. In spite of the surplus, Minnesota still has a $2.9 billion debt to our children and schools because the Republicans decided it was easier to take money from education rather than raise taxes on the rich. Middle class families are shouldering higher property taxes because the Republicans refused to make millionaires pay their fair share. Last summer's state shutdown was completely due to the Republicans refusal to give an inch on taxes, a move which cost the state $60 million. The Republican budget strategies rely on one-time borrow and shift methods that have maxed out our state's credit card; their celebration of today's budget news is misguided." 

DFL urges support for American Jobs Act to create jobs, help middle-class families and small businesses now and into the future

ST. PAUL (October 11, 2011) — With the United States Senate set to vote on the American Jobs Act this evening, DFL Chair Ken Martin released this statement:

"Today's vote on the American Jobs Act is an important step forward and the perfect opportunity for all who say they want to create jobs to prove it and support this bill to create jobs now and jobs for the future. Republicans don't have a plan of their own that would create jobs now. President Obama does.

"The American Jobs Act will help middle-class families get ahead, keep teachers in the classroom and police and firefighters on our streets, and it will put construction workers on the job rebuilding Minnesota's crumbling schools, bridges, and roads. It's time for Republicans in Washington and the GOP presidential candidates to support this important legislation that will put more money back into the pockets of middle-class families and small businesses.

Republican majority's irresponsible budget gimmicks force downgrade of Minnesota's bond rating

ST. PAUL (September 23, 2011) — Today, Standard and Poor's downgraded Minnesota's bond rating from AAA to AA+. State DFL Chair Ken Martin released this statement:

"Today's downgrade of Minnesota's bond rating is a direct result of the fiscally irresponsible policies that the Republican majority forced upon the people of Minnesota.

"Governor Dayton had a plan to raise revenues fairly, sustainably and permanently to help fix our state's budget deficit in the long term. But Republicans vehemently opposed the balanced approach and insisted on one-time shifts and borrowing instead of asking the rich to pay just a little more. Now the GOP's chickens are coming home to roost.

"First it was tax hikes on homeowners, then it was struggling schools and now it's a blow to our state's fiscal health. However you look at it, this downgrade and its effects are just the latest in the series of ways that Minnesotans have to bear the brunt of the hurt because of the Minnesota Republicans' misplaced priorities and irresponsible choices." 

President lays out common-sense plan to create jobs, boost economy

ST. PAUL (September 8, 2011) — This evening, President Obama's laid out his plan to create jobs in American in an address to a joint session of Congress. DFL Chair Ken Martin released this statement:

"This evening, President Obama laid out a strong, clear and common-sense vision for how to create jobs based on a belief that we know well here in Minnesota -- that we all do better when we all do better.

"The American Jobs Act will not only create jobs for families right now, but is also paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes and asking the richest of the rich to finally pay their fair share. Every proposal is bipartisan, every proposal is paid for.

"The President's plan will help America's small businesses hire and grow, will put more money in the pockets of working and middle-class Americans, and get teachers, police officers, firefighters, veterans and construction workers back to work in our communities to rebuild America.

New analysis shows extreme Tea-Party policies would cost Minnesota 123,029 jobs

ST. PAUL (September 7, 2011) —In advance of tonight's GOP presidential debate in California, the DFL released a new estimate of the number of jobs which would be lost in Minnesota if the Republican Party's presidential candidates' are able to pursue their extreme economic policies.

The analysis conducted by the Democratic National Committee found that just the balanced budget amendment, like the one included in the Tea-Party budget plan passed by the US House of Representatives this summer, would result in the loss of 9.5 million American jobs and 123,029 jobs in Minnesota.

The loss of so many jobs could sink the U.S. into a depression the likes of which the country hasn't experienced since the Great Depression. Every Republican presidential candidate has come out in favor of a balanced budget amendment to the constitution or supported the Tea-Party budget plan which contains one.

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin released this statement: