BPOU stands for Basic Political Operating Unit.  What that really means though, is that a BPOU is the lowest level of political organization.  In rural areas, a BPOU may be an entire county.  However, in urban areas, the BPOU encompasses only a particular Senate District or even a single House District.

The BPOU operates as a fairly independent group.  It has it's own leadership, membership, budget, etc.  Each BPOU endorses members during election years at it's caucuses.  And during off-election years holds conventions to elect officers and other business.

However, a BPOU is also part of hierarchy.  Unless, the BPOU is a House District, it will have House Districts within it.  Each House District is representated in the state legislature by a Representative.  In addition, each BPOU encompasses quite a few precincts.  These precincts vary in size but are used to help organize votes and voting locations on Election Day.

A BPOU may contain an entire city, or only part of one.  It may contain several cities, orpart of several.  A BPOU may encompasses  an entiry county, or only part of one.  It may also contain parts of several counties as well.

SD49 is now in this unique position which is partly in CD3 and partly in CD5. Senate District 49 comprises House Districts 49Aand 49B.  SD49 includes the city of Edina, West Bloomington and precincts in eastern Eden Prairie and Minnetonka.  Each of these cities are in turn broken down to precincts represented by voting or polling locations at churches, schools and public buildings.

A BPOU can change when the legislature does it's redistricting every ten years as it just did in 2012.