Secretary of State Mark Ritchie Announces First-in-the-Nation, Non-Partisan Precinct Caucus Finder
St. Paul, Minn. - Jan. 15, 2008 - Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie announced today the launch of a Precinct Caucus Finder, a new free service to help citizens across Minnesota locate their political party's caucus via the Internet. The Secretary of State's office worked with all major and minor political parties in Minnesota to create a one-stop, easy-to-use online search tool with precinct caucus times and locations.
"I thank all the political parties that came together to partner with this office to make this service to Minnesotans a reality. Citizens are served best when we work together," Mr. Ritchie said. "This caucus finder is an important new service that helps citizens take ownership of our democracy."
Minnesotans interested in attending a precinct caucus should go to the Secretary of State's Web site at www.sos.state.mn.us and click on the Precinct Caucus Finder link. The caucus finder will display the precinct caucus times and locations provided by the political parties. If a date and location are not available for a political party's caucus, the Web site directs users to a link to the political party's Web site for more information.
Precinct caucuses are free and open to the public. To participate at a caucus you must be eligible to vote in the November 4, 2008 general election and likely to support the candidates of that political party. The office has prepared a precinct caucus brochure available for download at www.sos.state.mn.us/docs/mnprecinctcaucuses.pdf. The Republican, Democratic and Independence parties are scheduled to meet for their respective caucuses on Feb. 5, "Super Tuesday." The Democratic and Republican Parties will also hold "straw polls" at their caucuses for presidential candidates.
The Constitution Party will caucus on Feb. 2, and the Green Party will caucus
on
March 4. The Independence Party will continue to meet online in a virtual
caucus through March 4. The results of the presidential straw polls, as provided
by the political parties, will appear on the Secretary of State's Web site at www.sos.state.mn.us.
