Minnesota appears likely to move up '08 party caucuses

Party officials are proposing Feb. 5 as the new date for precinct caucuses, adding Minnesota to a list of about two dozen states that will weigh in on the presidential contest that day with caucuses or primaries.

"We want Minnesota to be relevant for the presidential selection," says state Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey. He says an earlier caucus date will increase voter participation next year.

We want Minnesota to be relevant for the presidential selection

"The thing that really excites most of our activists is the fact they know more people will come out to caucuses if they feel like they'll have a say in selecting a presidential candidate," he says.

Carey says he's 90 percent certain the caucus date will be rescheduled. The state GOP executive committee will vote on the issue next month.

Minnesota DFL Party officials have already given preliminary approval to earlier caucuses. A final vote is expected in September. says there's broad support within the party for making the change.

"I've been hearing from lots of folks around the state actually encouraging us to make the change," says DFL Associate Chair Donna Cassutt. "A number of local party units have passed resolutions as such, and there's just a lot of excitement around it."

Cassutt also expects a bigger turnout at precinct caucuses next year if the date is moved up a month.

But many states have the same idea. Illinois, California, New York and New Jersey are among the states also eyeing February 5.

Dan Hofrenning, a political science professor at St. Olaf College in Northfield, says the number of early caucuses and primaries nationwide could soften the impact Minnesota political parties are looking for.

"It's possible that the nominee will be all but chosen by the end of January," Hofrenning notes. "So if that's that case, I think that would mute the impact a little bit.

"And I also think people are getting a little tired of all this frontloading. There's a sense that, there's an election in November, why do we have to have all this activity in January and February?"

State lawmakers failed to pass a bill in the 2007 session to reschedule the precinct caucuses. But party officials say they don't need legislative approval to move forward.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, a DFLer, is supporting the parties.

"We've had precinct caucuses earlier before, so there is precedent that this has happened," he says. "But I'm waiting to hear a clear signal from the parties, and then I will ask the attorney general's office, who is our legal counsel, to inform me of any potential problems or things we need to clarify of things we need to be aware of."

Ritchie says the DFL and Republican parties are also expected to conduct presidential straw polls at their precinct caucuses. He says his office could help the parties report those poll results, but he says the planning for that operation needs to begin soon.