No News is No News
How did the precinct caucuses go?
Like many readers, we hoped to wake up this morning to a story about last night’s DFL precinct caucuses in the Minnesota Star Tribune. Instead, the lead story on the front page of their website was about a woman with breast cancer marrying her partner after surviving the Darien Gap. The top story under “News & Politics” focused on animals being relocated from the SeaQuest aquarium.
If you were relying on the main paper for coverage of the caucuses, you’d be disappointed.
As our survey last week showed, people are turning to multiple platforms to get their news. They want more stories that connect local events—like the caucuses—to the issues that affect their daily lives. But there’s no longer a shared set of facts we all draw from.
We had hoped to record a podcast breaking down the results ward by ward to help inform readers. But due to the lack of reporting and a chaotic caucus process—where paper forms are tallied by volunteers and then counted by the Minneapolis DFL—that episode will have to wait.
The Minneapolis DFL Chair, Conrad Lange Zbikowski, posted to his Bluesky account (for those of you unfamiliar with Bluesky, it has replaced Twitter for many people):
We will be entering data for the next few weeks, but it’s already clear that Minneapolis DFL neighbors exceeded expectations with the highest in-person caucus attendance since 2016. Thank you to all the incredible DFL volunteers for working creatively together, our DFL neighbors, and campaigns!
Anecdotes and Observations
We’ll share a few observations based on a steady stream of social media posts and anecdotes from attendees. Note: None of these have been independently verified.
In the race for mayor, it appears that DFL State Senator Omar Fateh has emerged as the leading opposition candidate to Mayor Frey. However, a significant number of Uncommitted delegates were selected, which may suggest that many voters are still undecided.
In several Ward 7 precincts, Elizabeth Shaffer appears to have dominated, which makes it unlikely that Katie Cashman will receive the DFL endorsement at the ward convention on May 10. That said, due to a lack of oversight around vote counting and unclear rules about who was allowed to attend, we can’t say anything with certainty. In several precinct caucuses, attendees came and went freely, creating confusion over who the official delegates were. There was no verification of whether attendees lived in the precinct.
Lydia Millard showed surprising strength in Ward 10. Whether it will be enough to secure the DFL endorsement won’t be clear until after the convention on May 31.
More Pens and Forms were Needed
Many precincts appeared unprepared for the number of attendees. There were shortages of pens and forms, and clear instructions were often not provided by the conveners. Some attendees even questioned whether the disorganization was intentional.
We want to acknowledge and thank the volunteers who gave their time to count votes and sign in participants—but the overall organization of the caucuses clearly needs improvement. It raises concerns about how well the upcoming ward and city conventions will be run, especially when so many caucus-goers were confused by the rules and the process.
Some attendees stood for hours due to a lack of available seating.
Details in small functions matter because they serve as a kind of test for what will happen later in the process, when the stakes are higher.
For example, we were once asked—while applying for a position at a publishing house—to write a one-page description of how we would get to the interview. At first, it seemed like a strange request. But upon reflection, we realized it was a test of our attention to detail. If we couldn’t clearly describe the steps we’d take to arrive on time, how much care and precision could we be expected to bring to the day-to-day responsibilities of the job?
The same principle applies to the caucuses. If they are disorganized, lacking basic supplies like pens and chairs, and if clear procedures aren’t followed, what does that suggest about the integrity of the next steps—like vetting candidates and conducting a trustworthy endorsement process?
Now that the precinct caucuses have passed, it’s time to start discussing how they might be replaced. Since the Minneapolis DFL will be manually entering results over the next few weeks, we invite readers to share their experiences, the results they received, and any suggestions for improving the process.
Online voting is one option. Voting by mail is another—an approach that could give a voice to those who face barriers like lack of childcare or scheduling conflicts. Another alternative could be a primary election, as used by many other cities and states, to help narrow the field of candidates.
Conclusion
This election is too important to be overshadowed by stories about rehomed iguanas. It’s also too important to be left to an archaic process where sub-caucuses with names like “Affordable and Dignified Cities” end up sending delegates to the upcoming conventions.
One of the funniest comments we came across was that caucuses are the fastest way to figure out which neighbors you like the least.
At many caucuses, a last-minute resolution passed aiming to prevent candidates from accepting both the DSA and DFL endorsements. It will be interesting to see whether that resolution gained enough support to make it through to the Ward and City Conventions.
Unfortunately, for those of us without an insider’s view into the inner workings of the Minneapolis DFL, we’re left in the dark.
If you showed up to be heard, we hope your voice was counted. The turnout at the precinct caucuses showed that people are more engaged than they’ve been in years. Residents want to see the city on the right track—and they’re willing to stand for hours to prove it.
You said it. I woke up at 5 a.m. ranting to myself about how archaic and flawed the caucus process is. (I am in 7-3, this was maybe my 40th caucus?) I encouraged many people to attend, writing in the Hill and Lake Press and also on Nextdoor about how important this is. Several people told me last night that is why they were there. And I now feel responsible for putting them through this time-sucking cluster f***! (I suspect that none of them will be back!)
Yes, kudos to the volunteers who find locations and show up to be trained to run a caucus and to sign folks in and set up chairs, etc. In some ways it's the best of community, but it excludes most of the people the DFL claims to be all about. If you have kids, a job, a disability, or lack transportation, you are not going to find a way to sit (or stand due to lack of chairs) through a 2-3 hour process, much of which make little sense to you. Or, as was the case last night, much of which was spent standing in lines and not in debate of issues or candidates.
Most people, if not all, show up to support a certain candidate. So candidates (or causes) who have access to lists of likely voters, or are members of an ideological group, can pack the house and win the most delegates. In effect they choose who is on the ballot in the fall.
This is NOT what democracy looks like! Minnesota should face reality and get rid of the caucus system and go with a primary.
As the NYT noted back in 2019, "Caucuses tend to be dominated by the most motivated, engaged and informed voters, who also tend to be more ideologically consistent. The opportunity to participate is limited; voting usually occurs at a single time, rather than at any point during a day. The format also can burden voters in ways that deter participation: Caucuses can last for hours, and can require voters to publicly disclose their vote. "
I was about to send you an email Terry. It was a train wreck at my caucus. Admittedly, I'm one of the 98% who typically does not go. I now understand how the DSA was able to hijack our city council. Not difficult for a small, motivated group to organize and basically steal the nominations.
The caucus went 2 hours and I'm not really even sure what happened. Disorganized and chaotic.
It wasn't clear at all that the delegates we picked would vote for the candidates we wanted. I almost can't imagine a more undemocratic process. Without even thinking about it, I can sketch out at least 3 ways to dramatically improve the transparency and democracy.