Minneapolis DFL caucuses on for tonight

Minneapolis DFLers will take the first step Tuesday toward trying to endorse a candidate for mayor with 117 precinct caucuses at sites around the city starting at 7 p.m.

Anyone who supports the party and will be eligible to vote in the city election this November can participate.

The main order of business will be to elect delegates to the city convention this June. Those delegates will decide which, if any, of the mayoral candidates to endorse.

Candidates Betsy Hodges, Gary Schiff, Don Samuels, Jackie Cherryhomes and Mark Andrew have been working to turn out their supporters to the caucuses. As a result, party officials say they're preparing for relatively heavy turnout, especially in parts of the city that also have competitive city council races.

In addition to city convention delegates, caucus-goers will also elect delegates to the ward conventions happening over the course of the next month. Those delegates decide who to endorse for city council.