DAG National Elections 2025

Posted by Germany
November 21, 2024

DA Germany 2025 National Elections

Overview

Democrats Abroad Germany (DAG) holds elections for new officers in the first quarter of every odd-number year. This includes positions at the local chapter level and the Germany national level.

All local chapter elections are held before the national elections.

Below, you will find an overview of the national elections.

National Elections

For the first time, national elections will be online from Tuesday, March 11, 2025 until Sunday, March 23, 2025. The results will be announced at DA Germany’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 29, 2025. To participate in the election, one must be a member of DA Germany and members must “request a ballot” by RSVPing via this event page. The deadline to request a ballot/RSVP for the election is Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 6:00 pm CET.

Request Your Ballot for the DAG Leadership Elections

National Election Rules & Procedures

The election rules are defined in the DA Germany Bylaws and the DA Germany National Election Rules. National-level elections are facilitated by a neutral Nominations and Election Committee (NEC) of the DA Germany Executive Committee (ExCom). No members of the NEC are seeking national-level office themselves.

If you have any questions, please send to the 2025 Nominations and Elections Committee at [email protected].

National Positions

See Job Descriptions for all positions here.

DA rules state that our Chair and Vice Chair must be different genders, and no gender can make up more than half plus one of the full delegation of Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA) Voting Reps. We've asked candidates their gender and have included it for candidates for the relevant positions: (m) male, (f) female, (n) non-binary.

The available roles are:

Chair
Vice Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Academic Outreach Coordinator
Advertising Coordinator
Chapter Development Coordinator
Communications Coordinator
Events Coordinator
Fundraising Coordinator
Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Coordinator
Membership & IT Coordinator
Press Coordinator
DPCA Voting Representative (14 elected positions, 4 alternates)

Information sessions will be held for interested members to ask questions and learn about the various leadership positions and election processes. The events will cover the same content, so you do not have to attend all three sessions. You can RSVP to attend one of the following events:

Nomination Process

The Nominations Form will close on Friday, February 14, 2025 at 6:00 pm CET. Candidate Statements can be submitted until Friday, February 21, 2025 at 6:00 pm CET. If you wish to write a Letter of Endorsement for one of the candidates, please fill out the Letter of Endorsement Form by Friday, February 28, 2025 at 6:00 pm CET.

Election Process

There will be two Meet the Candidates sessions. All candidates are invited to speak at these events. They will be held on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 7:30 pm CET and Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 3:00 pm CET. If a candidate cannot attend, they are allowed to send a surrogate who may speak on their behalf.

Members that request a ballot will receive an email with the link to the ballots on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Using their individual voting code, which will be included in the same email, members can cast their votes until Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 6:00 pm CET.

Nominees will be listed in alphabetical order. Names will be published beginning January 15, 2025 and updated on a weekly basis.

The Nominees are:

CHAIR:
- Sarah Mulloy (f)

VICE CHAIR:
- Tanja Tschech (f)

SECRETARY:

TREASURER:
- Jim Nellis

ACADEMIC OUTREACH COORDINATOR:

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR:

CAUCUS COORDINATOR:

CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR:
- Malaika Kusumi

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR:

EVENTS COORDINATOR:

FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR:
- Tanja Tschech

GET OUT THE VOTE (GOTV) COORDINATOR:

MEMBERSHIP & IT COORDINATOR:
- Cliff Stuehmer Jr
- Joseph Taylor Claspell

PRESS COORDINATOR:
- Pegi Jones

DPCA VOTING REPRESENTATIVE:
- Malaika Kusumi (f)
- Kelsey Potts
- Shari Temple (f)

Candidate Statements, Photos and Letters of Endorsement

The candidates were given the option to submit a candidate statement and a photo. The submission deadline for a statement to be posted was Friday, February 21, 2025 at 18:00 CET.

Chair Candidates

Sarah Mulloy (f)

I'm asking for your vote for chair of Democrats Abroad Germany. With the support and encouragement of other DAG leaders, I became an active volunteer in 2020. Since then, I have:

helped organize and operate Global Presidential primary centers in 2020 and 2024
been a founding member of the North & Central Bavaria Chapter
served as vice chair, then chair of NCB
served as DAG GOTV (Get Out The Vote) Coordinator in 2022
served on the DAG Nominations & Elections Committee in 2023
served on the DAG Bylaws Committee from 2023 to present
served as Europe, Middle East and Africa GOTV Coordinator in 2024

My leadership at local, national, regional and global levels of the organization gave me perspective on what works well and what needs improvement. DAG is already highly motivated, creative and organized, but I believe we can more effectively advocate for voting rights globally by building community ties among US citizens in Germany generally. A DAG that functions optimally needs roles for folks seeking both long-term administrative activities and who prefer contained, short- to medium-term projects. Engaging future leaders supports the bench-building needed for innovation, not only in DA, but throughout the ranks of the Democratic Party.

My GOTV work illustrated to me the rampant misconceptions about voting abroad. To combat that, I would like to create better-targeted voter education resources in preparation for the 2026 congressional election. We already have the resources; for example, our voter assistance trainings are extremely informative, they could be repackaged and recontextualized for US citizens with no previous experience in DA.

Empowering volunteers via projects like this will help develop future leaders for DAG – I speak from experience! I hope I can count on your vote and that we can strengthen DAG together.

Letter of Endorsement

Justin'e Lorenz, Member, North and Central Bavaria

I am happy to endorse Sarah Mulloy for chair of Democrats Abroad Germany. Not only do we share a vision for DAG’s future to improve global voter turnout, but I also admire her leadership style. During the past year with her as my chapter chair, I found myself repeatedly impressed with her leadership abilities and I feel that she is exactly the right type of person to take on the position of DAG chair. What I have enjoyed the most is her ability to be direct and down-to-business while also being genuinely friendly and warm. There hasn’t yet been a moment where I thought she was speaking out of line or talking down to either a volunteer or someone we’re helping at a tabling event. I also believe in the importance of building a community amongst US citizens in Germany in order to more effectively advocate for voting rights globally, which is a part of her candidate statement. Not only does she have what I find to be very good ideas for us as DAG, I believe she will be effective in following through with these ideas and will do so professionally, if her immense experience in DAG is any indication. I urge you to consider voting for Sarah for chair of Democrats Abroad Germany.

Vice Chair Candidates

Tanja Tschech (f)

I am honored to announce my candidacy for DAG Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad. As a committed member of the Democratic Party, I am eager to contribute to DAG's mission of advocating for American expatriates and ensuring that our voices are heard. I have lived abroad for 25 years and remain committed to the ideals and foundation of the Democratic Party, now more than ever.

If elected, I will work diligently to represent DAG at the DPCA, voting on key issues such as amendments to the DA Charter and resolutions. I will ensure that DAG's voice is respected in the wider global democratic landscape.
I am committed to supporting our Country Chair and ExCom in all tasks related to member engagement, political advocacy and organizational development. My experience in leading teams and transformation work for global multinationals ensures that I have the ability to set agendas that allow all voices to be heard and ensure open discussions on relevant issues. I am a thought leader and public speaker in the business communities which are skills I can support the DAG with, particularly in press interviews and international meetings.

With a background in public service and international relations, I hold a Masters in International Affairs, have volunteered with the American Women's International Club, and worked in the Governor of California’s Press office. These experiences have given me a deep understanding of policy advocacy, cross-cultural collaboration and the importance of empowering diverse communities.

I will prioritize completing the essential training to utilize Nationbuilder. My work experience includes working with databases and content management systems, which should serve us well.

I am excited about the opportunity to lead the DAG as we continue to advocate for progressive policies, and ensure greater voter participation. Thank you for considering my candidacy.

Secretary Candidates

Treasurer Candidates

Jim Nellis

Since taking on the Treasurer position in January, I have prioritized accurate reporting, timely payment of vendors and reimbursements, and a seamless forecasting process. To achieve these goals, I developed an automated system to extract transactions from LookerStudio, generating detailed year-to-date and monthly income/expense statements for each ExCom meeting. I also revamped the payment and reimbursement submission form to simplify and streamline the process. Additionally, I established the Finance Committee to support chapters in preparing their FY25 forecasts. It has been a privilege to serve as Treasurer over the past year, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue contributing to our shared success in 2025.

Academic Outreach Coordinator

Advertising Outreach Coordinator

Chapter Development Coordinator

Malaika Kusumi

As a dedicated chapter leader, I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges of meeting Democrats Abroad’s requirements, growing membership, and maintaining momentum — especially after the last election left many feeling shocked, disheartened, and uncertain about the future. But it’s precisely during these low points that we need strong, collaborative, and inspiring leadership to reignite our collective purpose.

I believe in leadership that lifts others up. My vision includes creating three comprehensive guides tailored for chapter leaders: one for understanding DA’s structure and resources, one on financial processes (donations, requests, and funding), and one to help leaders navigate their roles with confidence. I will ensure bi-monthly Zoom calls and, more importantly, personal visits to chapters to connect, support, and listen directly to your needs.

To foster a stronger sense of community, I will launch a bi-monthly newsletter highlighting chapter achievements, challenges, and ideas, helping us learn and grow together. My approach is simple: instead of issuing directives, I will ask, How can I help? — and then take action.

Training sessions will empower every member to feel confident in stepping into leadership roles, ensuring the sustainability and vitality of our chapters. My commitment is to give more than I ask for, to build bridges and provide tools, so together we can strengthen Democrats Abroad and make meaningful change.

Leading with purpose, unity, and optimism, together, we can turn challenges into opportunities and create a stronger future.

Communications Coordinator

Events Coordinator

Fundraising Coordinator

Tanja Tschech

Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Coordinator

Membership & IT Coordinator

Cliff Stuehmer Jr

I helped found my local chapter in 2020 and have since been its Secretary. I'm active in several IT-related capacities.

Nationally: you elected me to this position in 2023. I took on the new responsibilities administering our email accounts, distribution lists, and shared storage. In that, I found a way to save hundreds of dollars. I made your data available to you for voter outreach while strictly following our data handling rules. I provided training and consultation on how to use our systems.

Globally: I contribute to acute/ongoing global member data quality initiatives. I am the person identifying congressional districts for members — critical for taking back the U.S. House. I devised a cheaper and more consistent way for this, saving hundreds of dollars from the global IT budget. I actively test DA's Vote From Abroad ballot request system, and always look for ways to make the system more user-friendly. I strive for that in other areas too: make the technology accessible to the voter and the volunteer.

I am proud of what DA achieved in the 2024 election cycle am sure IT contributions made it faster, easier, cheaper and more effective. If re-elected, I will need to start preparing for a knowledge transfer nearly immediately, because I want sustainable knowledge sharing, and I will be termed out in early 2027.

For 2025-27, I plan to continue along the path I began in 2023:

optimize voter outreach
use your feedback to drive improvements benefiting all country committees
share best practices for membership data
recruit a small team for load-sharing and bottleneck prevention

We've got big results to deliver in 2026. I want to get the most mileage out of the resources available to us, and make success easier for our successors.

Letters of Endorsement

Michele Cenzer, DA Global IT Volunteer

I strongly endorse Cliff Stuehmer for the Democrats Abroad Germany Membership and IT Coordinator position.

I say without exaggeration that Cliff Stuehmer is one of my favorite colleagues. He is firstly very good at solving problems and developing solutions that save hassle, time, and money. Cliff asks thorough questions that get to the root of what needs solving before starting a project, so we don’t waste energy heading in the wrong direction. He adapts quickly to changes, even when we might find the changes frustrating. He is patient with people who need time or explanation in understanding software, new processes, and alternatives to the way we’ve always done it.

Cliff cares about the end goal, the why of what we are doing, not just coming up with a process. Will it help us reach more voters? Will it make it easier for teams to use the data we have? Will it save us money? The IT team has benefited noticeably because of his focus on Democrats Abroad goals.

Cliff also cares about the people, not just the tech. I have never had the honor of meeting Cliff in real life. We have lived thousands of miles apart. But we got to know each other as we worked on many projects over these past few years. Now, I am now glad to call him a friend. He is thoughtful and funny and kind. He volunteers even when he is busy. These strengths are why I turn to Cliff when I have a technical question that maybe other people could answer. I know that he will never belittle me and will always work to help. That is the best you can ask of your “data dude”.

Geoff Simmons, Chair of the Hamburg and Northern Germany Chapter

I‘ve had numerous interactions with Cliff over the past two years, and it‘s been refreshing to get to the geeky level with someone from the IT field. DA is not a technology undertaking, of course, but I can confirm that Cliff is well-qualified in the technical skills that the role requires. He applies those skills well in the service of our cause, and will continue to be an great asset for DA Germany over the next two years.

Pete Kaiser, DA Global IT Volunteer

Cliff is smart, hardworking, cooperative, imaginative and dedicated. We've worked together on DA's IT team for years, and he has been a terrific colleague. His sense of humor helps!

Joseph Taylor Claspell

Press Coordinator

Pegi Jones

DPCA Voting Representative

Malaika Kusumi (f)

Leading with purpose, unity, and optimism, together, we can turn challenges into opportunities and create a stronger future.

Kelsey Potts

Shari Temple (f)

I would be honored to serve another term as your DPCA Voting Representative (VR) representing Democrats Abroad Germany (DAG).

I have been an active member of DAG since 2005 serving in various positions – Munich Chapter Chair, DAG Secretary, DAG Vice-Chair, DAG Chair, and DAG Voting Representative, as well as many committees. At the DA International level, I have served on the Executive Committee as EMEA Regional Vice Chair (RVC) and Interim International Secretary. I have been a chair and member of many global committees over the years and currently the IT Chair and the head of the Equal Rights Amendment Task Force.

For those that know me, I hope you have seen that I am willing to spend the time and energy for the organization from grunt work to high level presentations. My ability to listen to both sides of an argument and look for win-win solutions are a valuable skill for the VR role. I am a team player willing to share knowledge and work with the rest of the Voting Representatives and our DAG Executive Committee.

The reason I am running for VR is to share my knowledge and experience within DA to help make our organization better and more effective, and most importantly help Democrats win. Based on my various roles at all levels, I understand the inter-workings of the organization and how to effect change.

I would appreciate your vote for one of the DAG DPCA Voting Representative positions.