Pre-Convention Committees

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Senate district endorsing conventions will need YOUR help in order to be as inclusive, accessible, and successful as possible. If you have ever been dissatisfied with how conventions have gone in the past, we URGE YOU to get involved in the planning of the 2022 endorsing conventions. These local party units are run by VOLUNTEERS LIKE YOU. You can make a difference, and your voice can be heard, but if you wait to raise your concerns until the day of the convention, it will likely already be too late.

Please look at the following committees and choose one that best suits your interests, and then send an email to sd66dfl@gmail.com with your name, your precinct, and your intent to be on one or more committees.

Arrangements Committee

Join this committee if you have been called a “party planner” or are willing to learn how to organize and run events. The arrangements committee will oversee the “on site” concerns of the convention. Action items include:

  • Estimate printing/signage needs, get quotes, and create timelines.
  • Create documents and send documents for printing if needed.
  • Plan to provide or rent extra tables and chairs, wi-fi, etc.
  • Check accessibility of facility – door openers, elevators, parking, etc.
  • Determine building map availability and signage placement
  • Determine ocation of Information desk & registration, including recruiting greeters and runners
  • Create seat/table assignments for precincts, separated A and B sides (divide down the middle)
    • Figure out how many delegates from each precinct need to be seated and ensure there are enough tables for all of them.
  • Determine whether/how to rent a riser.
  • Staff/supply a concessions stand on the day of
  • Recruit a cleanup crew for timely tear-down

Credentials Committee

Join this committee if you would like to help people be included in the convention process and adjudicate issues relating to delegates and alternates. Action items include:

  • Get the provisional list of delegates and alternates from the SD chair
  • Determine a process for hearing and resolving credentials issues (people who didn’t fill out a non-attendee form properly, etc.)
  • Mail and notice to delegates and alternates who did not provide an email address or phone #
  • Estimate printing needs, get quotes, and create timelines
  • Create documents and send documents for printing if needed
    • Make name tags so we can see who is a Delegate, an Alternate, a visitor, press, etc.
  • Determine a process for dealing with unranked alternates or challenges on convention day
  • Read the rules regarding the seating of delegates and alternates (see attached), and check with the Rules/Constitution Committee for any changes
  • Prepare credentialed delegate/alternate lists for SD66 to candidates
    • Set policy for making copies available
    • Inform campaigns in advance (get the list of campaign managers from SD chair)
  • Set up rules for how/when Delegates are on the ‘floor’ at the Convention; provide the ‘count’ during the Convention; upgrade alternates at the Convention as appopriate
  • Prepare sign-in sheets by precinct and staff the registration desk on the day of the convention

Endorsements Committee

Join this committee if you would like to recruit and screen candidates for Ramsey County Commissioner, MN House Reps, and MN Senators. Action items include:

  • Plan and hold interviews for all DFL candidates for state offices in SD 66:
    • SD66A State Representative
    • SD66B State Representative
    • SD66 Senator
  • Plan and hold interviews for all DFL candidates for Ramsey County Commissioners up for election in 2022
  • Set up the screening questions, notify candidates, and schedule screening
  • Estimate printing needs, get quotes, and create timelines.
  • Create documents and send documents for printing if needed

Nominations Committee

Join this committee if you would like to recruit and screen for future local party unit leadership. Action items include:

  • Plan and hold interviews for candidates for the local party officers and directors
    • Coordinate with SD chair to send out email blasts to recruit candidates
  • Set up the screening questions, notify candidates, and schedule screenings
  • Estimate printing needs, get quotes, and create timelines
  • Create documents, send documents for printing if needed
  • Present the Nominations Report at the Senate District Convention

Resolutions Committee

Join this committee if you are passionate about specific causes and are willing to do some data entry and organizational work. Action items include:

  • Gather resolutions adopted at all the precinct meetings
  • Compare and consolidate resolutions
  • Check to see if the principles/ideas in the resolution are already part of the DFL platform or not
  • Determine procedure for considering and voting on resolutions at the convention – discuss procedure with the convention chair and Rules Committee in advance
  • Estimate printing needs, get quotes, and create timelines
  • Create documents, print documents
  • Tally votes
  • Take responsibility for timely delivery of resolutions to the DFL, as directed

Rules/Constitution Committee

Join this committee if you have been described as “details-oriented” or a “rules lawyer,” and you are willing to help develop rules for the convention and a new constitution for the senate district. Action items include:

Published by Katrina Lee

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