Minnesota DFL Party Moves Conventions to Online Ballot

The following changes were adopted by the DFL Party’s Executive Committee on March 17, 2020:

DFL CALL: ALL CONVENTIONS

All conventions (SD’s, OU’s and other endorsing conventions) will be conducted through an online balloting system to complete the essential party business of electing delegates, conferring endorsements, and passing resolutions.

The online balloting system will be administered by the Minnesota DFL party staff who will be responsible for reporting results back to the local unit.

Local units will be responsible for collecting a roster of delegates and certifying the content of the ballot. The ballot, certified by a vote of the local unit executive committee, as well as the official delegate roster, must be reported to the Minnesota DFL through a provided form no later than Friday, April 17 at 5 PM CST.

Units will have the option to send out a mail ballot to those delegates who request one. Those ballots will need to be reported via an online form to the Minnesota DFL within the allowable balloting timeframe. Electronic Ballots will be emailed out by the Minnesota DFL directly to delegates who have not requested a mail ballot. Delegates will be provided a unique password to access their ballot.

Balloting will occur over a 10-day period: Saturday, April 25th – Monday, May 4th.

Contested endorsements will be decided by rank choice vote.

During the balloting period, local unit leadership (Chairs & Vice Chairs) will receive a daily update of which delegates have completed their ballots. It will be incumbent on the local units to follow up with delegates to ensure ballots are completed within the allotted time frame.

Local units may use reasonable means to reach out and help with getting ballots submitted. This can include helping facilitate voting via phone and text messages as long as the local unit is creating a receipt of the conversation for auditing purposes.

Given that we will be conducting conventions via electronic and mail balloting we will not need pre-convention committees for congressional district conventions.

Candidates for Congressional District / State Convention delegate must be gender-balanced and will be decided by a plurality vote.

We will allow candidates for public office to send a 2-minute video which will be embedded with each electronic ballot.

All alternates elected at precinct caucuses will be automatically upgraded to full voting delegates to the local unit conventions.

ACTION BY LOCAL UNIT

The roster of delegates and alternates from each local unit must include the following:

• Name
• Gender Identity
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email (where the ballot should be sent)

The certified ballot must include the following (varies by type of unit):

Organizing Units that make endorsements for public office:

• List of candidates for public office seeking endorsement
• Nominees for delegates and alternates to CD / State Convention which must include Presidential

Preference (candidate name or uncommitted)

• Resolutions (limited to 100 words)

Organizing Units that do not make endorsements for public office:

• Nominees for delegates and alternates to CD / State Convention which must include Presidential Preference (candidate name or uncommitted)
• Resolutions (limited to 100 words)

Units that only make endorsements for public office

• List of candidates for public office seeking endorsement

RULES & BYLAWS

Given the unforeseen nature of this pandemic, we are recommending the following rules and protocol changes which will allow our party units to conduct important party business while also allowing us to protect party members and the general public. The following rules are temporary and expire at the end of the state convention or June 1, whichever one comes first.

• Notification requirements for party meetings, conventions, endorsements, etc. shall require 72 hours’ notice via any means.
• All conventions, with the exception of the state convention, will be conducted via electronic balloting or as requested by the delegate through the mail, phone, or text.

The business of all conventions will be limited only to essential items where applicable:

• Election of delegates and alternates
• Election of state pre-convention standing committee members
• Conferring endorsements for those seeking public office
• Voting on resolutions
• Election of Presidential Electors
• All other business will be deferred automatically to the next regularly scheduled central committee meeting of that unit.

The Minnesota DFL will prohibit any official DFL sponsored event, at all levels in the party, where more than 10 people would gather in person from occurring from March 14th – May 28th. This includes fundraisers, party meetings, social events, unit central committees, conventions, etc. Meetings below 10 people should be moved to teleconference if possible. If they must be in-person, meetings should be conducted swiftly and limited to essential business only.

The Minnesota DFL’s rules will be superseded by those of federal, state, and local public health authorities should those be more stringent than those imposed by the Minnesota DFL.

For information on Congressional District and State Conventions, please click here to see the full announcement by the State DFL.

New Time-Sensitive Rules (3-14-20)

The State DFL Executive Committee met and approved a slate of emergency measures including the following temporary convention rules. These rules create additional deadlines for those intending to seek endorsement for public office. We ask that you communicate this to your Convention Delegates/Alternates and candidates for public office.

•  Candidates running for legislative office must indicate to the Minnesota DFL their intent to seek the DFL endorsement 7 days prior to the convention.
  • All candidates (including current elected officials) should use THIS FORM to indicate their intent.
• Delegates to the OU conventions who are running to be a delegate to the Congressional District Convention and State Convention must indicate to the Minnesota DFL their intent to run for this position 7 days prior to the convention.
  • This also applies to Delegates to the CD/State conventions who wish to serve on a pre-convention committee
  •  All OU Delegates running for CD/State Delegate should use THIS FORM to indicate their intent to seek a pre-convention committee position.

Convention Update
SD53 March 21, 2020, Is Postponed

DFL Executive Committee Approves Emergency Measures
to Protect Against Coronavirus

St. Paul – March 12, 2020, the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s Executive Committee met and approved a slate of emergency measures designed to combat the spread of COVID-19. These measures include:

• All conventions scheduled from March 14th – May 1st are postponed. The Minnesota DFL is working on scheduling virtual conventions starting in April.
• The Minnesota DFL will limit the business of all conventions, from OU to state, to only essential items: election of delegates and alternates, election of CD/state pre-convention standing committee members, conferring endorsements, and voting on resolutions.
• The Minnesota DFL will prohibit any official DFL sponsored event, at all levels in the party, where more than 25 people would gather in person from occurring from March 14th – May 1st.  This includes fundraisers, party meetings, social events, unit central committees, conventions, etc.
• The Minnesota DFL will shift all campaign organizing efforts, including direct voter contact, from in-person work to virtual work, and we encourage campaigns to do the same.
• The Minnesota DFL Headquarters will not be available for DFL or public meetings from March 14th- May 1st.
• The Minnesota DFL Headquarters will be closed to the public.  Only credentialed personnel, party leaders, and elected officials will be permitted to access the building from March  14th – May 1st.

Ken Martin, Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party released the following statement:

 “The Minnesota DFL is committed to doing everything we can to halt the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and well-being of all Minnesotans. Tonight, the Minnesota DFL’s State Executive Committee approved significant changes to our convention schedule which will allow us to conduct essential party business while dramatically lowering the risk of coronavirus transmission.

 “The Minnesota DFL will immediately shift all conventions without contested endorsements from in-person events to teleconferences. All conventions with contested endorsements will be postponed for a period of six weeks. The Minnesota DFL will continue to monitor the situation carefully and may make future changes in consultation with public health experts.

 “This was not an easy decision to make, however we are currently in the middle of one of the worst public health crises in the past century and the Minnesota DFL is committed to doing our part to keep our party members, candidates, elected officials, and the public at large safe during this difficult time.”

 Below is a more detailed explanation of the changes adopted by the Minnesota DFL’s State Executive Committee. These changes are set to expire after the Minnesota DFL state convention:

DFL CALL TO CONVENTION

• ORGANIZING UNIT CONVENTIONS: All conventions scheduled from March 14th – May 1st  are postponed.
  • For those conventions with no competitive endorsement contests, the OU must hold their convention using teleconferencing software which the Minnesota DFL will provide at no cost to the OU.  The convention must be rescheduled to one of the following weekend days, April 4th and 5th, April 18th and 19th, or April 25th and 26th.  The Minnesota DFL will provide training to OU leadership on the technology as well as help administer the technology for each convention. These OUs will be asked to select a three-hour window of time during which the convention will take place from a list that the Minnesota DFL will distribute. This will allow state party staff to assist with conventions.
  • For those conventions with a competitive endorsement contest, the OU must hold their convention in person on one of the following weekend days, May 2nd and 3rd, or May 9th.  The DFL will provide financial assistance to those units who incur significant financial hardship as a result of changing the convention date.
• SENATE DISTRICTS CONVENTIONS:  All conventions scheduled from March 14th – May 1st are postponed.
  • The SD NON-ENDORSING UNIT must hold their convention using the teleconferencing software which the Minnesota DFL will provide at no cost to the SD NON-ENDORSING UNIT.  The convention must be rescheduled to one of the following weekend days, May 2nd and May 3rd, or May 9th. The Minnesota DFL will provide training to SD NON-ENDORSING UNIT leadership on the technology as well as help administer the technology for each convention.
  • For those conventions with a competitive endorsement contest, the OU must hold their convention in person on one of the following weekend days, May 2nd and 3rd, or May 9th.  The DFL will provide financial assistance to those units who incur significant financial hardship as a result of changing the convention date.
• CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CONVENTIONS:  CD conventions scheduled on May 2nd and May 9th are postponed to May 16th and May 17th.
• STATE CONVENTION PRE-CONVENTION COMMITTEE MEETINGS:  The in-person State Convention Pre-Convention Meetings scheduled for May 2nd and 3rd will be postponed to Friday, May 29th in Rochester, MN. At the discretion of the committee conveners, meetings may be held prior to May 29th using DFL-provided teleconferencing or video conferencing software. Resolutions must be submitted by May 15th.

RULES & BYLAWS 

• Loosening the requirements on party notification of events:  forgo notification requirements for party meetings, conventions, endorsements, etc.
• Allow party units to conduct conventions via telephonic, internet, or other electronic means.
• Allow delegates to conventions to carry up to (1) proxy vote for delegates who are unable to attend in-person conventions. These proxies must be instructed as to the vote preferences of the delegates not in attendance. Proxy instructions should be ranked whenever possible.
• Prohibit walking sub-caucuses at conventions held via teleconferencing or video conferencing and elect all delegates from OU conventions to the CD/State convention as at-large delegates. The presidential preference of delegates will be recorded.
• Limit the business of all conventions, from OU to state, to only essential items: election of delegates and alternates, election of CD/state pre-convention standing committee members, conferring endorsements, and voting on resolutions. All other business will be deferred automatically to the next regularly scheduled central committee meeting of that unit.
• The Minnesota DFL will prohibit any official DFL sponsored event, at all levels in the party, where more than 25 people would gather in person from occurring from March 14th – May 1st.  This includes fundraisers, party meetings, social events, unit central committees, conventions, etc.
  • Meetings below 25 people should be moved to teleconference if possible. If they must be in-person, meetings should be conducted swiftly and limited to essential business.
  • The Minnesota DFL’s rules will be superseded by those of federal, state, and local public health authorities should the rules of public health experts be more strict than those implemented by the Minnesota DFL.
• For those units that meet via teleconferencing or video conferencing, and where no contested endorsement occurs, the following will be allowed:
  • Alternates will be automatically upgraded to full voting delegates.
  • The DFL party will officially chair the convention in order to run teleconferencing and video conferencing software.
  • Candidates for delegate to the state convention and congressional district convention must indicate to the Minnesota DFL their intent to run one week prior to the convention.
  • Candidates for endorsement for legislative office must indicate to the Minnesota DFL their intent to run one week prior to the convention.
  • Candidates for election to congressional district pre-convention committees must indicate to the Minnesota DFL their intent to run one week prior to the convention.
  • Debate on resolutions will be limited to one speech in favor and one against.

OFFICE PROTOCOL

• The Minnesota DFL will shift all campaign organizing efforts, including direct voter contact, from in-person work to virtual work, and we encourage campaigns to do the same.
• The Minnesota DFL Headquarters will not be available for DFL or public meetings from March 14th- May 1st.
• The Minnesota DFL Headquarters will be closed to the public.  Only credentialed personnel, party leaders, and elected officials will be permitted to access the building from March  14th – May 1st.
• No official staff travel out-of-state from March 14th – May 1st.

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March 21, 2020
Tartan High School

Convention FAQ

Pre-Convention Committee

The purpose of the pre-convention committee is to plan the Senate District Convention.

At the 2020 Caucus, each precinct elected two members and two alternates with gender balance if possible, to serve on each of the following pre-convention committees:

Rules and Constitution— This committee proposes rules for conducting business at the convention, and recommends any amendments to the constitution.  The Chair of this Committee is Ann Marie Metzger.

Credentials—  This committee prepares and mails the convention notice; creates credentials and manages convention registration, including upgrading alternates to replace absent delegates. It reviews credential challenges and brings them to the convention for a vote.  The Chair of this Committee is Frederick Dempsey-Hess.

Important Credential Committee Document(s):

• Credential Challenge Process

Nominations—  This committee screens (interviews) those interested in serving as a party unit officer or ‘State Central Committee’ delegate, and makes a recommendation to the convention.  If you are interested in applying for a leadership position with SD53, fill out the online application.  The Chair of this Committee is Anand Balar.

• Interview times and dates are included in the online application.

Positions available (all positions are two-year terms):

• Chair
• Vice-Chair
• Treasurer
• Outreach and Inclusion Officer
• Secretary
• Director

Resolutions—  This committee edits and prepares caucus resolutions for presentation as a resolutions ballot at the SD 53 convention.  The Chair of this Committee is John Sydor.

Arrangements —  This committee manages convention food, beverages, set-up, clean up, signage, reservations, seating, equipment, etc.  The Chair of this Committee is Carlo Montgomery.

• Political Contribution Refund (PCR) Form

Coronavirus Update

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 11, 2020
Contact: Brian Evans
Email: bevans@dfl.org

Minnesota DFL Issues Update on the Coronavirus and Future Party Events

St. Paul – March 11, 2020, Minnesota DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin issued the following guidance to local DFL organizing units regarding future party events:

“The Minnesota DFL is monitoring the spread of the coronavirus here in Minnesota very closely and will continue to do so throughout this public health crisis. At this time, the Minnesota Department of Health and other public health agencies have not recommended that organizations cancel community gatherings and events. As such, the Minnesota DFL is recommending that party units proceed with conventions while taking the necessary precautions we outlined in earlier correspondence.

“The Minnesota DFL leadership and staff are working closely with the national party, as well as our Constitution, Rules, and Bylaws Committee to explore all contingencies in the event that the guidance from public health officials changes. The DFL will explore all options to allow our party units to conduct the important business of our party while also keeping our party members and the public safe.

“Rest assured that the Minnesota DFL’s decision-making process will be guided first and foremost by the well-being of the members of our party and the recommendations of medical experts and the scientific community. We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more.”

How To Protect Your Event

Here are a few steps you can take to help reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission at party events.

• Send an email to attendees before the event, and make an announcement in person at the start of the event, encouraging them to:
  • stay home/go home if sick
  • avoid shaking hands
  • wash their hands regularly
  • sneeze into an arm or a tissue
  • avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth
• Have plenty of hand sanitizer, garbage cans, and tissues nearby.
• Try to seat people at least 3 feet apart if possible.
• Put up posters and flyers reminding people how to protect themselves from coronavirus. Both the CDC and WHO have flyers that you can use for these purposes.
• Try to clean and disinfect commonly used surfaces before and after your event.
• Retain the names and contact details of all participants for at least one month. This will help public health authorities trace people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 if one or more participants become ill shortly after the event.

 The CDC has put together some recommendations for event organizers, which is a useful resource as we enter the convention season.

We also encourage party leaders to continue using tools like the SCC email list to share any advice or questions you have on coronavirus-proofing your events. If you’ve had your convention, let folks know what worked and what didn’t. If your convention is coming up and you’ve got questions, ask your fellow DFL leaders.

 Additional resources

Johns Hopkins University is tracking the spread of coronavirus live. While they cannot track cases that have yet to be diagnosed and reported, this is still a useful tool for determining whether coronavirus has been confirmed in your community.

There’s some misinformation about coronavirus circulating. We recommend taking a moment to review the WHO’s myth-busters to set the record straight about what coronavirus is.

The Red Cross has a really useful one-page fact sheet with important information on coronavirus.

For Minnesota-specific information, check out the section of the Minnesota Department of Health’s website dedicated to coronavirus. They have useful information and additional print resources. If you want to reach out to MDH with questions, you can call them at:

• 651-201-5000 (Phone)
• 888-345-0823 (Toll-free)

Source:  Ken Martin, Chair, DFL Mn

What is coronavirus?
What is COVID-19?
Prepare and Protect for COVID-19

To help prevent the spread of any illness, please follow these standard rules:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
• Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Source:  https://www.sowashco.org/news/latest_news/statement_on_coronavirus_concerns

For more information:

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH): http://www.health.state.mn.us/
Center for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Washington County Public Health Department: https://www.co.washington.mn.us/471/Public-Health-and-Environment

About Us

We Are Democrats…We believe that anyone from any walk of life should have a fair shot in achieving their hopes and dreams…no matter their gender, faith, race, who they are or who they love.

MN Senate District 53 DFL is an Organizing Unit of the Minnesota DFL. We are a committed group of volunteers and activists in Woodbury, Maplewood, Oakdale, and Landfall, working to elect Democrats to all levels of public office, promote the party platform, advocate equality for all people and create healthy communities through service, education, and empowerment.

Officers:

• Chair, Cheryle R. Carter
• Vice-Chair, Tom Miller
• Secretary, Jodell Miller
• Treasurer, Patricia Williamson
• Outreach and Inclusion, Mariah Neuharth

District Boundaries

You can determine your polling place using the Secretary of State’s Pollfinder.

The following documents contain the official boundary definitions for offices in which this DFL Organizing Unit has endorsement authority:

• Senate District 53
• House District 53A
• House District 53B

Email Address:
sd53dfl@gmail.com

Mailing Address:
DFL Senate District 53
PO Box 25893, Woodbury, MN 55125