Tuesday May 7, 2013.  DFL 2nd Ward caucus.  (They're officially called "conventions" rather than caucuses now.  I don't know why.)

Each of the Ward's ten precincts was entitled to send up to 49 delegates (and 49 alternates.)  There were 54 delegates total, a bit short of 490. 

Some other Wards had crowded precinct caucuses; I think because they had contests for City Council seats.  Up to the Ward caucus, there hadn't been any declared candidates.  The incumbent is a Green who won his last election unopposed.  (In Minneapolis, the Republicans are a minor party.)  One candidate for City Council endorsement did turn up.

Mayoral-endorsement candidates and their volunteers were very much present, though that endorsement wouldn't be voted on till the city-wide caucus in mid-June.  There were also candidates for the Park Board and the Board of Estimates and Taxation -- which, again, weren't to be voted on till June.

Note:  All these offices are nonpartisan. 

Among the suggested rules:  "One or more Convention Chairs, with gender balance, shall be elected by a plurality vote of the convention."  Achieving gender balance with one Chair would be an interesting problem.

Mayoral candidates spoke.  Candidates for the Boards spoke.  The City Council candidate spoke.  There were question periods.

All candidates, and all delegates, were in favor of:  job creation; a greener Minneapolis; freedom to marry; fewer guns.

At the end, there was a non-DFL speaker:  Cam Gordon, Council incumbent.  Among other things, he said it would be a good thing if parties could cross-endorse.  Both the DFL and the Greens have specific rules against multi-party endorsements, it seems.