Super Tuesday

Happy Super Tuesday! I've never participated in an election or caucus during the presidential primaries where my vote actually could make a difference. In the past, it's always been clear who the nominee would be by the time I've voted. I am planning to caucus for Obama. I've supported him, albeit not entirely steadfastly, since before he announced he was running. I am glad that he has made it this far, and that right now I can vote for the candidate that makes me most hopeful for the future.

When I drive into work in the morning, I turn from 35th St onto the on-ramp for I-35W. There was a guy there this morning waving an Obama sign, and so I did the 'beep-beep' and thumbs up as I was going past. And right as I did the thumbs-up, I realized that I recognized the person holding the sign. It was R.T. Rybak, Minneapolis' mayor!

Caucus

I just got back from my precinct caucus. I cast my vote in the presidential straw poll and then stuck around for the precinct caucus portion. Before yesterday, I was under the impression that there would be a walking subcaucus to elect delegates to the Senate District DFL Convention in March. However, when I talked to my sister yesterday, she said that they send so many delegates from the Minneapolis precincts that it usually doesn't come to subcaucusing. My district sends 58 delegates to the convention, of which I will be one.

After we'd chosen delegates, people presented resolutions and we voted on them while the Tellers were counting the straw poll. After the resolutions had all been brought forward, they announced the results of the straw poll. My precinct broke down as:

Barack Obama: 474 votes
Hillary Clinton: 126 votes
John Edwards: 3 votes
Dennis Kucinich: 5 votes
Uncommitted: 5 votes