Our 2023 Convention is planned for next Saturday, February 18th. 

If you would like to participate in the pizza option, be sure to sign up and RSVP by February 15th. This allows us to plan accordingly for numbers as well as saves a few bucks for yourself. 

Not a pizza person? No problem, order anything from Goodtimes menu and just let them know you are downstairs. They will bring it down to you once it's ready. 😁. 

As a refresher on how Minnesota GOP politics work, things are scheduled around even years and odd years for key elections.

This year is an "odd numbered year" for our convention (as its 2023). As such, we will be electing our delegates and alternates for CD1 and State Committee as well as our local officers for our BPOU (Houston County Republican Party). 

In "even numbered years", this is when we elect delegates and alternatives for CD1 and State Conventions. So next year's convention is when our current 52 delegates/alternates for Houston County terms have ended and we will hold a new election for those positions. 

Each convention cycle (odd year vs. even year), positions are a two year term. This applies to officer positions, delegates, alternatives. The full details are in our Constitution if you'd like to read it.

When: Saturday, February 18^th, 2023. Registration at 11:00 AM, convention convening at 11:30 AM.

Where: Good Times Restaurant (lower level), 118 Bissen Street, Caledonia, Minnesota.

What to expect: 

• The meeting will happen in the lower level (basement) of Goodtimes. Head down the stairs when you get there. 
• You will check in at the registration/credentials table when you arrive. This lets us see the number of delegates or alternates in attendance. We currently have 52 delegates/alternates for the county.
• New comers should register also as to ensure their information is added to our mailing list, etc. 
• We will convene at 11:30 and the agenda is here.
• We will be flexible with the agenda if/when guest speakers are available in order to accommodate their schedules. 
• The election(s) for Officers and CD1 and State delegates will be done verbally or by secret ballot (depending on situation). As reminder: If you are a Delegate, you will be voting on these nominations as well as the two submitted constitution changes. 
• Length of the meeting will depend on a few things but we expect things to take around 90 minutes (give or take... depending on nominations, discussions, votes, etc.). 

We anticipate that our CD1 Representative, Brad Finstad, as well as Aaron Ferris (CD1 Chair) will be joining us for a short speaking engagement (and probably Q&A). 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

New joiners are welcome!

FULL DETAILS LOCATED HERE (Click to open) ⬇️⬇️⬇️

The Houston County Republican Party is a 100% volunteer organization with volunteers for our Executive Committee officers.

You can find the details (including duties) here. In short, we have Chair, Deputy Chair, Vice Chair 1, Vice Chair 2, Treasurer and Secretary positions which will be voted on and filled during the February 18th Convention. These positions comprise our Executive Committee. 

Anyone interested in one of these positions, please let us know. Nominations for candidates will also be taken from the floor on Saturday, February 18th. 

Don't be shy: Even if you are partly interested or even interested in "shadowing" a position, now is a good time to get involved. Even if you'd only like to help with a particular topic (parades, election signage, etc.), please let us know. 

Current Officers (Executive Board members): 

• Chair: David Pieper 
• Deputy Chair: open
• Vice Chair 1: open
• Vice Chair 2: open
• Treasurer: Jane Schlitz 
• Secretary: Jan Deters 

Additionally, up to five "members at large" are able to be on the Executive Committee, as elected and serving at the pleasure of the Chair.

Current "members at large" of the Executive Board: Karyl Diersen, Mary Schroeder, Kate Snodgrass, Cory Johnson. 

Minnesota Election Integrity Solutions will be at our convention and have the ability to check your voting information and voting history if you are interested in a copy of it. 

What is this? 

The Minnesota Secretary of State makes the registered voters list available to anyone as public information. This includes the information of the voter as well as their voting history as it should be within the states own voter database (also called the SVRS). This is public information, which any resident of Minnesota can request and it is very commonly used by campaigns for mailers or cold calling or door knocking. 

MN EIS has this information and will be able to print out your voter information and history if you'd like a copy of it. It will show your data as of December 30, 2022 including data for the November 2022 election.

Why do this?

One of the key topics in election integrity is if the voter rolls and data are actually correct.  By obtaining this information which would normally only be available by means of a Data Practice Request (similar to a FIOA request at the federal level) by an individual voter, we can bring this data directly to you to verify its accuracy. In a sense, this empowers "We The People" to do checks on our own government's data to see if it is actually accurate.

You might be surprised on what you see (or don't see) of your own voter data!

Look for the sign and table for MN EIS on Saturday and request a copy of your voting information to see if it is actually fully accurate.

With the turning of the calendar to 2023, comes the ability to once again donate to the Houston County Republican Party and get your donation refunded by the State of Minnesota.

With this program, individuals and couples can donate AND GET YOUR DONATION REFUNDED by the Minnesota Department of Revenue. 

As this is an off-year for elections, donating to your local Houston County Republican Party is a great option. 

How does this work?

Simple. If you are an individual, donate up to $50. If you are a couple, donate up to $100. After donating, you will get a PCR receipt from us. Complete the form from the MN Department of Revenue, attach the PCR receipt we gave you and mail it in. In 7-10 days, you will have up to $50 or $100 returned back into your checking account.

How can I donate? 

Mail, in-person or online. 

• Mail: Send your check to Houston County Republican Party; 137 Main Street, Caledonia, MN 55921. Attention: David Pieper. 
• In-person: Simply stop by 137 Main Street during normal business hours or attend a BPOU meeting. If you are attending the February 18th Convention Call, this is a great time to donate and get your receipt immediately.
• On-line: We now offer online donations directly from our website. Simply click the DONATE NOW button. 

How do I get the refund?

1. Donate
   
2. Obtain the PCR receipt from us
3. Complete the MN Dept of Revenue form
4. Mail the form and receipt into the MN Depart of Revenue
5. Wait 7-10 and check your bank account for the refund