In This Issue —
Events:
- Monthly Executive Committee Meeting
- Progressive Pizza
- Oktoberfest with Democrats Abroad in Munich
- Wine Tasting Tour in Grinzing
- Salzburg Meet-Up
- EMEA Regional Retreat in Alicante, Spain
Message from the Chair
Inside DA Austria:
- Will You Be the Difference in 2024? Open Committee Positions
- Help Us Save Our Time and Treasure
- Critical 2023 Races
- In memory of Robert Franks
Issues & Actions:
- Stay informed of the Issues with the Global Caucuses
- State Teams Advocate for Americans Abroad
Our Executive Committee meetings are now typically held on the first Tuesday of the month. Our next meeting will be held online on: Thursday, September 7, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. Members are welcome to join us at the meetings. Please contact Richard at [email protected] for the address.
DAA is making a strong effort to include in our monthly newsletter all the information you need to stay up to date. By sending you fewer emails, we hope you will read those you receive. Thanks for reading!
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Events:
Monthly Executive Committee Meeting
When: Thursday, September 7, 2023
Time: 19:00–21:00 p.m. CET
Where: In person 1010 Vienna (write [email protected] for the address)
Progressive Pizza
When: September 28, 2023
Time: 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Where: L'Osteria,Florianigasse 55, Vienna 1080
RSVP: https://www.democratsabroad.org/jenniferrakowstepper/progressive_pizza
Democrats Abroad at Oktoberfest
When: Sunday, October 1, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Where: Festhalle Schottenhamel, Munich, Germany
RSVP for tickets: https://www.democratsabroad.org/emilyllines/da_oktoberfest_extravaganza_2023
Wine Tasting Tour in Grinzing
When: Friday, October 6
Time: 17:30
Meeting Point: Cobenzl bus stop shelter (38A bus or 37 tram)
RSVP: https://www.democratsabroad.org/at_2023_wineevent
For more information contact: Andy Nash ([email protected]) See description here.
Salzburg Meet-Up
When: Friday, October 15, 2023
Time: 5:30pm
Where: Braugasthof Krimpelstätter
RSVP: https://www.democratsabroad.org/jenniferrakowstepper/salzburg_meet-up
Contact: [email protected]
EMEA Regional Retreat for Leaders and Volunteers
When: Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Where: Alicante, Spain
RSVP: morein24
Experienced Dems Meet-up
When: October TBA
Time: 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Where: Café Museum, Operngasse 7, Vienna 1010
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Message from the Chair
In this newsletter, Mary Beth Kollert has written a tribute to Robert Franks, a resident of Salzburg who was one of DA Austria’s top phone bankers. He was a fixture at our regular meetups in Salzburg and did so much to help advance the work of Democrats Abroad to get out the vote and defend our democracy. Our heartfelt condolences to his wife family and friends. Read More
In the spirit of Robert’s volunteerism, I hope more of you will consider his example and join us as we gear up for 2024. We all know the grassroots work work needed to succeed. More on our open volunteer opportunities below.
Richard
Chair, DA Austria
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Events:
Wine Tasting with Democrats Abroad
On Friday October 6 we’ll take a hike through Grinzing and stop at Jutta Ambrositsch’s outstanding Buschenschank in Residence to taste a few of her wonderful wines and enjoy the kind of scintillating conversation that comes from a pleasant evening.
The tour starts at the Cobenzl bus stop at 17:30. Take the 38A bus from Heiligenstadt (U4) or the end station of Tram 37 to Cobenzl. We’ll be waiting near the bus shelter.
We’ll head across the street and admire the view over Vienna. Then down the hill through the vineyards and talk a little about Vienna wine and wine production while looking over fields planted with grapes. Once we reach the edge of Grinzing we’ll continue on to see historic buildings and the neighborhood’s lively centre. A short distance further and we’ll head uphill to the Busenshank for our well-earned reward.
Jutta Ambrositsch is one of Austria’s finest winemakers creating unique and very tasty wine including many made with very old and traditional grape varieties but tasting fresh and exciting. Her wine is featured in many American fine wine shops and restaurants.
We will taste three typical wines and learn a little about where the grapes come from, how they were vinified, and tasting notes, along with a little history about the wine variety. We’ll also have bread and a couple of traditional Austrian spreads (homemade) to help the wine along. This tasting is included in your ticket donation. Afterwards you’ll be free (and encouraged!) to order on your own more wine and some of the wonderful homemade food offered by Jutta. It is truly a gourmet Heurigen.
Please reserve in advance and remember that the group is strictly limited to 25 persons, so register soon if you are interested. RSVP here: www.democratsabroad.org/at_2023_wineevent
For more information contact: Andy Nash ([email protected])
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Inside DA Austria:
Will you be the difference in 2024?
For the 2024 Global Presidential Primary (GPP) next March, Democrats Abroad Austria will be running Voting Events in several cities around the country. If you have the time, we NEED VOLUNTEERS to help register voters and to remind those who are already registered to request their ballots.
Democrats Abroad had a significant impact in the 2020 election, providing the votes that put the Biden/Harris ticket over the top in Georgia, Arizona, and Wisconsin. To ensure continued Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, we’re determined to mobilize for the upcoming elections. The overseas vote is proven to be the margin of victory in close elections. Get involved – you can BE THE DIFFERENCE
Database Manager Needed!
A trustworthy, reliable volunteer is needed to welcome our new members and keep DA Austria’s membership list updated. Approx. one hour per week. More during the annual database clean-up in late January and during the Global Presidential Primary.
Read more about the position here: DAAVolunteer_db
Contact: [email protected]
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Election News
Help Us Save Our Time and Treasure
Reaching out to friends, family, colleagues, and community networks is one of the most effective ways to inform people how to vote from abroad. Critical races and legislation will be on the ballot in the 2023 November elections and we’ll be calling those flagged most critical.
Save us a phone call!
DA Austria is proud to have a dynamic and engaged phonebanking team that calls our DA members. We hold training sessions, scripts, offer support, and even call parties (with pizza) so you feel prepared —and our members are glad to hear from us!
Find out more about upcoming trainings at https://www.democratsabroad.org/phonebanking_training or contact DAA’s phonebank coordinator at: [email protected]
Phonebanking will begin on Sept 5 to all members in Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi as well as members in targeted state legislative districts in New Jersey and Virginia.
Please help call DA members who vote in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi starting September 5! Our votes could bring real change to these red states. We know our calls work.
Critical 2023 Races
Kentucky's highly popular Democratic Governor, Andy Beshears, is running for re-election on November 7. Keeping a Democrat in charge of this red state is a high priority!
Louisiana’s current Democratic Governor, John Bel Edwards, is term-limited and can’t run again, but all state offices are up for election, including both houses in the Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana’s Primary election is on October 14 – if any candidate for an office doesn’t get over 50% of the vote, then the top 2 will go to a General Election on November 18.
Mississippi’s highly unpopular Republican Governor, Tate Reeves, is running for re-election and all state offices are up for election, including both houses of the Mississippi State Legislature. Democratic turnout will be crucial to making changes in this ruby-red state.
If you or anyone you know are from one of these states, be sure to go to votefromabroad.org today and request your ballot for November. Help us save our time and treasure and use our precious resources to reach others.
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Issues & Actions:
Stay informed of the Issues with the Global Caucuses
Democrats Abroad has a growing number of special interest caucuses that advocate and address issues our members care deeply about. Joining one or more caucus is a great way to keep up with the many speaker series and monthly newsletters with issue-focussed information they provide.
During Pride Month, Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI) spoke with the Global LGBTQ+ Caucus about what is at stake in this election for the LGBTQ Community and why all Americans--including those abroad--need to vote in 2024.
Find out more about DA’s vibrant caucuses: https://www.democratsabroad.org/caucuses
State Teams Advocate for Americans Abroad
DA’s State Teams focus on voter education, voter participation and advocacy in crucial states, and are open to all members of Democrats Abroad who vote in or want to mobilize voters in the states represented. We’ll be sharing our experiences, our knowledge of the process of voting from abroad and other election information that has a real and measurable impact in crucial elections up and down the ballot. Contact us at [email protected].
For example, recently in New Jersey, thanks to volunteers at Democrats Abroad, our voting rights bill A3929/S2899 was signed into law. This allows overseas voters whose return to New Jersey is uncertain to vote in state elections (citizens who mark 'My return is uncertain' on the Federal Post Card Application).
Find out more about DA’s State teams: https://www.democratsabroad.org/state_teams