Dear Friends,
Please read then forward this email (post) on the Minnesota Precinct Caucus information below.  It describes in a nutshell what will happen on Feb. 7th!  Share it with your family, neighbors, and anyone you would like to engage in Caucuses!  (updated 1/18/2012)
Cindy
 

Minnesota Precinct Caucuses are being held Tuesday,  February 7, 2012, 7:00 p.m. This is our opportunity to get together with our neighbors and start the political process that leads to the election of representatives from our neighborhoods to serve as:  1 - Our delegates to the *BPOU - County/State Senate/State House District, Congressional District, and State GOP Conventions; 2 - Endorsement of  our candidates: State House, State Senate, US House, and US Senate; 3 - Definition of our Party platform; and 4 - Selection of party  leaders.
    Please plan to attend, and encourage your family and neighbors  to take part.  Please Note:  Anyone who will be 18 years old  by Tuesday, November 6, 2012, is eligible to vote for delegates, run to be a  delegate, and vote in the Presidential Straw Poll!  Anyone under age 18 can still attend Caucuses as a guest!  There is room for everyone to get  involved! 
Arrive as early as 6:00 p.m. to find your Precinct  and meet your neighbors!
* BPOU stands for Basic Political Operating Unit.
 
Presidential Straw  Poll - At this year's Precinct Caucuses, we will be conducting a  Presidential Straw Poll.  While this poll is not binding, Minnesota is early in the National GOP Caucus/Primary process this year, so our results will be announced nationally!  The Straw Poll will occur within each Precinct after every precinct caucus attendee has properly signed in.  This takes a little while, so Straw Poll voting may not occur until after 7:30 p.m.  Please be patient with the process and assist your Caucus Conveners whenever possible!  We are all volunteers!
 
After the Straw Poll, Caucus attendees will elect Delegates to represent your Precinct at your Senate District Convention.  We will also review and vote on the MN GOP Platform  recommendations submitted by our neighbors.
 
At the Senate District Convention, we will endorse our candidates for State Representative and State Senate and review the MN GOP Platform recommendations.  We will also elect our Delegates for the Congressional  and State Conventions.
 
At the Congressional District Convention,  Delegates will endorse our candidate for US House and continue the discussion about the MN GOP Platform recommendations.
 
At the State Convention, Delegates will elect our GOP National Delegates who get the privilege of  voting to endorse our candidate for President of the United States!   Delegates also endorse our candidate for US Senate and continue the discussion about the MN GOP Platform recommendations. 
 
And it all starts in our neighborhoods on February 7, 2012!  Please plan to join us.  If you can’t commit to being a Delegate, show up and vote for your neighbors to serve as Delegates.
 
* Please note:  It is very important for every person who runs to be a Delegate or Alternate Delegate make the commitment to attend the conventions and Senate District meetings that follow  for the next two years.  Conventions and Senate District meetings require quorums, which means a certain number of elected Delegates are required to be in attendance in order for business to progress.  If the BPOU rents a facility and goes through all the volunteer hours to put together meetings/conventions but has to reschedule, our valuable donation dollars are wasted.  So please plan to attend if you run to be a Delegate or Alternate Delegate.
 
In addition, our entire organization runs on the efforts of  volunteers.  Every Caucus, Senate District meeting,  convention, Congressional District meeting, GOP event, fundraiser, candidate  campaign, sign installation, literature distribution, phone call, election planning session, Get-Out-The-Vote effort, phone bank, etc., are all planned and executed by volunteers.  Please consider playing a role in any part of the organization.  It’s fun, because we get to hang out with like-minded people who are committed to the same causes we are!  I have to admit we have met some of the best friends we have through political volunteer efforts.  And when our candidates win, we all win!

Cindy Westrup
SD52