Democrats Abroad Germany
Stuttgart and Southwestern Chapter
November 2022 Newsletter
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
-John F. Kennedy
The US Midterms on November 8th did not bring the “red tsunami” heralded by some on the right, which instead turned out to be a “pink smear”. Some election deniers won seats, which is a painful blow to truth and democracy. But most Trump-backed, election denying candidates and those most vocally opposed to abortion rights underperformed and inflation was not the vote carrier. In many tight races, abortion rights and the former President may have cost the GOP votes. For the left, the January 6 hearings and the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade seem to have scared voters that their democratic rights were at stake.
The presidential election in 2020 showed us how much the overseas votes impact our elections. Ahead of the Midterms this year, DA chapters and volunteers for Vote from Abroad worked diligently all over the world to help voters via zoom chats, virtual help desks, voter information tables, phone banking and postcard writing. Americans living overseas collectively exceed the population of some small states (estimates range from 4.8 to 9 million), though only a small fraction of these eligible voters actually vote, making our job of reaching potential voters so crucial.
If you did vote, and you are contacted by an election official to “cure” your mail-in ballot, please do so in order for your vote to actually be processed and counted. This happens when there is an issue with your ballot, such as a missing witness signature or a signature-matching issue. Some states will allow voters the chance to fix this mistake so that the vote is not disqualified. At least 18 states are required to notify voters if there is an issue like a missing signature, and give the voter the opportunity to correct it. One of the most common reasons an absentee ballot is not accepted is because it has not been signed.
In addition to helping US citizens navigate voting from overseas, DA offers many interesting online discussions, chapter meetings, guest speakers and social events. Here are two highlights our chapter has planned:
• Thanksgiving Ludwigsburg Event on Saturday, November 26th: join us for a festive tour of the beautiful baroque castle in Ludwigsburg (tour price p.p. €15), then a short stint on the Ludwigsburg Christmas market before going for a group dinner at a nearby German restaurant (please RSVP at [email protected] timely, space is limited)
• Christmas Extravaganza in Esslingen starting at 6 pm on Saturday, December 17 at the Christmas market in Esslingen. We will have the opportunity to browse the lovely market before going to a historic restaurant for a group dinner (please RSVP timely due to limited space)
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to follow our chapter’s social media pages on Facebook (@DAGStuttgart) & regularly check our page on the DA website— www.democratsabroad.org/de_stuttgart-- where you’ll find the most up-to-date information about news & events.
If you have questions about the organisation, are interested in any of our events, are looking for ways to volunteer, etc., please don’t hesitate to send me an email. I’m very happy to help in any way that I can.
Wishing you a joyous Thanksgiving,
Sasha Arrington
Democrats Abroad Germany
Chapter Chair Stuttgart and Southwestern Germany