At party gatherings around Minnesota, voters offer their opinions at precinct caucuses
Updated: March 4, 8:51 a.m. | Posted: Feb. 27, 10:18 p.m.
Democrats, Republicans and others worked on party organization and talked about political issues important to them at Tuesday evening’s precinct caucuses.
It’s a tradition that tends to attract the most politically involved.
Thirty-one Republican caucuses were held at Jefferson High School in Bloomington, one of the sites where party members are deciding how to approach the open 3rd Congressional District seat that will be filled in November.
"I'm here to make sure that I am least participating, giving my opinion and, you know, taking part in the decision because you can't complain about how things are going down the line if you didn't do anything to begin with,” said Bloomington resident Cheryl Oliva.
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At Democratic caucuses at Kennedy High School in Bloomington, participants expressed similar sentiment. The candidate likely to secure the nomination in the 3rd Congressional District is state Sen. Kelly Morrison.
Candessa Hadsall was at one of 28 Democratic caucus meetings there. She said she worries about voter apathy heading into this fall’s election, when local offices up to the presidency are at stake.
"I'm concerned about all of the people that think that they're not going to vote this time because they don't like either choice. Or I hear all these young people that I work with a lot who think that it's the people when it's actually the issues and not just one issue but multiple issues,” Hadsall said.
One week from Tuesday, Minnesotans will have the opportunity to weigh in on the presidential nomination contest. Minnesota is one of more than a dozen states that will vote on what's called Super Tuesday.
Correction (March 4, 2024): An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the party affiliation for the caucus at Jefferson High School in a caption. The story has been updated.