You can rescue votes in Georgia no matter where you are - thru Jan 8.   Literally, thousands of Democrat voters in GA are calling the Democratic voter hotline because they are finding that they’re facing issues when they try to vote.  The Democratic Party can help them resolve the issues so their vote will count -- but needs volunteers like us to call these voters back one-by-one for assistance. This is a “high value” volunteer opportunity.  “There’s a direct payoff.  Every person I reach becomes a vote gained,” says DA Canada member David Mivasair, who’s been doing this since Election Day.  “ And, I’m afraid that everyone we don’t reach is a lost vote.  Thousands are calling for help and waiting to hear from us.”

The Democratic Party of Georgia has a very effective system and simply needs people like us to make the calls.

Moments after we heard Donald Trump’s horrific attack on American democracy Thursday night, I appeared on CTV News Channel with Jennifer Burke, and the Chair of Republicans Overseas Canada to discuss the ongoing vote count and Trump’s blatant undermining of American democracy.

I’ll let the video say the rest.

The night after election day, as Chair of DemsAbroad Canada, I spoke with Marella Fernandez of CTV News on the variety of creative and legacy-type initiatives DemsAbroad Canada undertook to reach the est. 625k Americans living across Canada eligible to vote in the 2020 election to cast their ballot.

Through the efforts of hundreds of volunteers contributing thousands of hours of their time, resulting in a greater than 250% increase in DemsAbroad Canada members' ballot requests, my prediction is that the 2020 vote from Americans in Canada will double the 2016 results. I am immensely proud of every person who contributed to this success!

I also talk to the need to count every vote, to let the process work the way it's supposed to. Each person has a right to have their vote counted. It was well known in advance that it was improbable to have an outcome on election night due to the historic millions of mail-in ballots to be counted. Neither candidate nor the media declares the election winner. The winner is determined by the declared results from each of the 50 states.

We wrap up the conversation with concerns for what the next two months could be like should Joe Biden be declared the winner as expected and any comparison between the 2000 election and 2020. For reference, the Ex is Ontario's "state fair" held in Toronto for the last two weeks of August.

If you vote from AL, AR, CT, GA, ID, IL, KY, MD, MI, MN, NH, NY, OH, PA, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, or WI, you must return your ballot by mail or express courier. It’s too late to drop off your ballot at the Embassy or Consulate, and questionable timing if sending by postal mail but don’t despair. UPS has special discount rates for large associations in Canada and as a member of Democrats Abroad Canada, you can now obtain this discount rate, with up to 50% savings off published shipping rates*. This is an ongoing savings benefit – it does not expire on Nov. 3rd!

You'll save on the following shipping services:

• Save 50% on shipping within Canada, to the U.S. and to Worldwide destinations.*
• Save 50% on shipments imported into Canada.*

Also included:

• Save 30% on Brokerage Entry Preparation Fee.
• Weekly Service Charge (Automatic Daily Pickup) – 100% waiver.
• UPS On-Call Pickup® service – 100% waiver. Freight Collect 3rd Party Surcharge – 100% discount.
• Ship to a UPS Access Point® Location fee (within Canada) – 100% waiver.

CLICK HERE for full program details (Being a benefit available for members of DemsAbroad Canada, you need to sign in with your DemsAbroad login)

(After you log in, you may have to scroll down the screen to locate the UPS information)

You'd like access to the members discount but you're not a member of Democrats Abroad Canada? It's fast, easy and free to join by CLICKING HERE.

It is our absolute pleasure to share this song written/performed by Lynn Harrison, a member of DemsAbroad Canada, and an Iowa voter. If you feel you've been away from the U.S. so long that you shouldn't vote, this one's for you.

A musical reflection on the importance of absentee voting in the 2020 US election. Thank you, Lynn!

Call your representatives and demand they wait: Find your Member of Congress and Senators’ information here Just before she died, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told her granddaughter, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” As Republicans plot to fill the seat before a new president is sworn in, the nation is faced with the terrifying prospect of a Supreme Court that is shifted to the far right for generations.

We've been here before. Before the 2016 election, the Republicans stopped President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland. Mitch McConnell declared: “Given that we are in the midst of the presidential election process, we believe that the American people should seize the opportunity to weigh in.”

That’s right: The American people must weigh in before the Senate moves to fill this vacancy. Honor Justice Ginburg’s memory and continue her fight for justice by calling your Republican senators today to demand that the Supreme Court vacancy stay open until after inauguration.

* Wondering what your senator said in 2016 and what they are saying now? Check out http://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-every-republican-senator-has-said-about-filling-a-supreme-court-vacancy-in-an-election-year

Contributing column by DACA-Toronto member and Vietnam Vet J. David Markham appearing in the Toronto Star Sept 13, 2020

I am no fan of Donald Trump, but as a veteran his outrageous comments about and attitude toward the military have made me angrier than normal. How dare he denigrate our service whether in popular or unpopular wars? I am not a loser or a sucker. I am a decorated Vietnam vet who is proud of his service, even in a bad war. I didn’t try to get out of military service with bone spurs. In 1968 I was drafted into a war I opposed, yet I served honourably in the 9th Signal Battalion, 9th Infantry Division in Dong Tam, Mekong Delta, becoming a Specialist Five and earning the Army Commendation Medal and Bronze Star. Throughout my year in Vietnam I put up with a lot more than wet hair, which was Trump’s excuse for not visiting a war cemetery in France in 2018, the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. Other world leaders went to the cemetery.

My unit was located right next to a hospital and we saw a daily parade of medevac Huey Slick helicopters bringing wounded and dead soldiers from the field. They were not losers or suckers either. Nor were the medical professionals who treated them, most of whom had likely volunteered for that duty. I am sure the president has no understanding of volunteering, especially at the risk of life or higher income.

 Did you know every eligible American living abroad can vote in U.S. elections this   year? 

 Do you have questions about how to vote? Click the chat bubble at the bottom of   this screen and we'll help you find the answers.  

 Starting July 26th, join us any Sunday till November from midnight to midnight   Eastern time to talk to a volunteer LIVE on Zoom about questions you have about   voting from abroad.

More information: The easiest way to request your ballot is at VoteFromAbroad.org. It takes just a few minutes to complete and send in your form to the US state where you last lived. The website will guide you step by step. In most cases it’s pretty simple. But if you’re new to overseas voting, or if you haven’t done it in a while, you may have additional questions. That’s why we’ll be here every Sunday until election day to help.

If you can’t make it any Sunday, you can always email us at helpdesk@votefromabroad.org or send in your question through our online help bubble, and a volunteer will get back to you.

CLICK ON A DATE FOR SPECIFIC DETAILS

August 16^th, 23^rd, 30^th

September 6^th, 13^th, 20^th, 27^th

October 4^th, 11^th, 18^th, 25^th

November 1^st

Democrats Abroad has partnered with the Ambassadors for Biden initiative to reach the up to 6m eligible overseas American voters. Fmr Amb to Canada Bruce Heyman went on Morning Joe speaking to how easy it is to register at VoteFromAbroad.org and highlighting how few Americans in Canada voted in 2016. There are enough of us in Canada to make the numerical factor of victory in close elections.