NEWS:American Democrats Living Abroad Encouraged to Get Involved in Primary Process
April 5th, 2011
Media Contact: Jody Couser, Press Officer
pressofficer@democratsabroad.
Press Release
For Immediate Release
April 5, 2011
American Democrats Living Abroad Encouraged to Get Involved in Primary Process
Also Makes Push for Minority Delegates
Washington, DC - The official arm of the Democratic Party for Americans living outside of the United States, Democrats Abroad, is encouraging eligible Democrats to get involved in the primary process. Democrats living outside of the United States can participate in Democrats Abroad's Global Primary in 2012.
Democrats Abroad has provided information on how Democrats living outside of the United States can participate in the primary process through the Delegate Selection Plan. This information can be found on the organization’s web site here.
Under party rules of diversity, Democrats Abroad is working to ensure inclusion of African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asian-Pacific Americans, as well as members for the LGBT community, youth and people with disabilities.
"It is important to Democrats Abroad members to ensure we match the spirit of diversity and inclusiveness of the Party as a whole. This is a core value to us,” says Larry Rousseau, of Democrats Abroad Canada, who also serves as Chair of the Democrats Abroad Affirmative Action Committee.
“Democrats Abroad includes an incredibly diverse membership of Americans,” says Ken Sherman, International Chair of Democrats Abroad. “Through our Global Primary, we are able to reach more voters in more locations around the world. We plan to have a convention delegation that is the most diverse ever.”
American Democrats living outside of the United States may participate but must first join Democrats Abroad. The online membership form is located on the web site here. Members will receive information on how they may participate in the Democrats Abroad Global Primary.
The worldwide election results will determine the delegates who will join eight DNC members in Democrats Abroad’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention. These delegates will be elected in early 2012.
Any American citizen who will be 18 by the November 2012 election who lives temporarily or permanently outside the United States is eligible to vote in the Democratic Global Primary and run for election as a Convention Delegate.
To vote in the Democratic Global Primary and/or run for Delegate to the Democratic National Convention, overseas Americans should contact Democrats Abroad online at www.democratsabroad.org
To vote in the U.S. Presidential Election in November, American voters abroad must request a ballot from the local voting authorities in the place where they last resided in the U.S. This process is explained and automated at Democrats Abroad’s voter registration website, VoteFromAbroad.org.
The Democrats Abroad Global Primary will take place in May 2012.
The Democrats Abroad Global Convention will take place in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in May 2012.
The Democratic National Convention will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 3-6, 2012.
The U.S. Presidential Election will take place on November 6, 2012. Deadlines for requesting overseas absentee ballots vary per state.
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Democrats Abroad is the official overseas branch of the U.S. Democratic Party. With members in more than 100 countries around the globe, Democrats Abroad holds eight positions on the Democratic National Committee
and sends a voting delegation to the Democratic National Convention to select our presidential candidate.