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The Green Party of Minnesota (GPMN) will conduct caucuses on Tuesday, February 4, from 7pm to 9pm, at the same time as other political caucuses around the state. Local GPMN caucus locations are 1) Central Hillside Community Center (One Roof Housing), 12 East 4th St., Duluth, and 2) Alden Town Hall, 7404 Laine Road, Two Harbors.
Caucuses are assemblies of like-minded people who support a specific party. GPMN participants must be Green Party members or sign up as members at the caucus. They also must be eligible to vote at the next state general election. Membership is open to all residents of Minnesota who share the Green Party values of ecological wisdom, grassroots democracy, social and economic justice, non-violence, decentralization, community-based economics, feminism and gender equity, respect for diversity, personal and global responsibility, and focus on a sustainable future.
Workers can give their employer sufficient written notice and the employer must allow them to have time off to attend. The employer cannot penalize the employee or deduct from the employee’s wages or salary except for the actual time not worked.
The GPMN caucus agenda will include: introduction of participants; overview of Green Party values, history and structure; identification of local, state and national Green Party candidates; discussion of resolutions, platform planks, and issues for the MN 2014 legislative session.
Just What Goes on at a Party Caucus? The Green Party of Minnesota (GPMN) will conduct local caucuses on Tuesday evening, February 4, 2014 from 7pm to 9pm, at the same time as other political party caucuses around the state. Local caucus locations are 1) Central Hillside Community Center (One Roof Housing), 12 East 4th St., Duluth,  http://goo.gl/maps/4YKOu  and 2) Alden Town Hall, 7404 Laine Road, Two Harbors,  http://goo.gl/maps/aPyph   Locations can also be found on the GPMN website at  www.mngreens.org
The purpose of a caucus is to identify local and statewide candidates and to raise and consider resolutions for political action. A participant must either already be a Green Party member or wish to become one and sign up as a member at the caucus. They must be eligible to vote at the next state general election. Observers do not vote nor participate.
GPMN membership is free and open to all residents of Minnesota who share Green Party values. The Green party is dedicated to ecological wisdom, grassroots democracy, social and economic justice, and non-violence. Other key values include decentralization, community-based economics, feminism and gender equity, respect for diversity, personal and global responsibility, and focus on a sustainable future.
Anyone who is eligible to participate at the caucus can give their employer 10 days written notice and the employer must allow them to have time off to attend. (202A.19, MN Caucuses and Conventions) The employer cannot penalize the employee or deduct from the employee’s wages or salary except for the actual time not worked.

BUT WHAT GOES ON AT A CAUCUS?

The Caucus convenor will begin with an overview of Green Party values, history and structure. Then, the heart of the caucus will involve discussion. First, local Green Party candidates will be identified. The next topic will be statewide races  for Secretary of State, State Auditor, Governor/Lt. Governor and Attorney General.
Resolutions and Green Party platform proposals are important. A resolution is a statement put out by the party that announces the party’s stance on an issue. Resolutions often reflect specific current events. Local, statewide and national resolutions will be proposed and voted on.
The party platform, on the other hand, defines the party’s mission and reflects how we expect elected Green Party officials to stand on issues. The platform is general in nature and doesn’t pick specific current events. In the interest of time, we will not be voting on platform proposals. However participants can submit them at their caucus or choose to mail them to the GPMN by May 1st.
Proposals will be forwarded to the GPMN Platform Committee and will be considered by the entire membership at the statewide meeting on June 7th. Platform proposals should be statewide in their scope. Both proposals and resolutions need to be written.
Finally, caucus participants will develop and rank a list of major legislative issues the Green Party of Minnesota should be pursuing. All in all, a packed agenda for a two hour caucus.