Asia-Pacific Japan
Asia-Pacific

DAJ 2023 Elections

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National and Chapter Officer Elections Page

Announcement of the 2023 DAJ National Election Results   

On May 16, votes were recorded by the NATIONAL NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE, as follows:23.jpg

Total ballots which were complete and where membership could be confirmed: 

  • 48 valid ballots (51 submitted, 2 repeat submissions and 1 illegible)

Chair: total votes - 48

  • Write-in Votes for Anna Costello – 32 votes, 66.7% total valid votes (WINNER: CONFIRMED)
  • Write-in candidates - 
  • Lexi Takamatsu - 1 vote      2.1%
  • Linda Crawford - 1 vote      2.1%
  • Dave Brauer - 1 vote           2.1%
  • Jason Bartashius - 1 vote     2.1%
  • No Votes registered -  12 votes   25.0% 

Vice-Chair: total votes - 48

  • Votes for Eric Gondree  47 votes, 97.9% total valid votes (WINNER: CONFIRMED)
  • No Votes registered - 1        2.1%

Secretary: total votes - 48

  • Votes for Mike Fisher 47 votes,  97.9% total valid votes  (WINNER: CONFIRMED)
  • No Votes registered - 1       2.1%

Treasurer: total votes - 48

  • Votes for Raymond Terhune - 47 votes,  97.9% total valid votes  (WINNER: CONFIRMED)
  • No Votes registered - 1   2.1%

Counsel: total votes - 48

  • Votes for Lexi Takamatsu – 47votes, 97.9% total valid votes  (WINNER: CONFIRMED)
  • No Votes registered - 1 votes 2.1% total valid votes

* Details about the qualification processes for the DPCA representatives and alternates can be found in the DAJ NATIONAL NEC REPORT 

DEMOCRATIC PARTY COMMITTEE ABROAD (DPCA) VOTING REPRESENTATIVE 

  • Write-in candidate Sarajean Rossitto  6 votes 12.5% (WINNER: CONFIRMED)

DEMOCRATIC PARTY COMMITTEE ABROAD (DPCA) VOTING REPRESENTATIVE (Alternate #1)

  • Write-in candidate - Lexi Takamatsu - 1 votes    2.1%  (WINNER: CONFIRMED

DEMOCRATIC PARTY COMMITTEE ABROAD (DPCA) VOTING REPRESENTATIVE  (Alternate #2)

  • James Regent -36 votes 75.0% (WINNER: CONFIRMED)

Member-at-Large for Eastern/Northern Honshu: total votes - 0

  • Votes for Write-in candidate Ryusei IIzuka - 0 votes cast by members residing in NE Honshu  
  • No candidate declared winner.

Member-at-Large for Western/Southern Honshu: total votes - 2

  • Votes for Cole Sullivan 2 votes, 100% total valid votes  (WINNER: CONFIRMED)

Member-at-Large for Hokkaido: total votes - 1

  • No Votes registered -  1  vote / No candidate declared winner.

Member-at-Large for Kyushu/Shikoku/Okinawa:total votes - 1

  • No Votes registered -  1  vote  / No candidate declared winner.
  • Sincerely yours, 
  • The DAJ 2023  Nominations and Elections Committee                 
  • NEC Chair  - Dave Brauer
  • Regina Salathe
  • Matthew Axvig
  • Larry Staples
  • [email protected]

Announcement of the 2023 DAJ Kansai Chapter Election Results 

The 2023 DAJ Kansai Nominations and Elections Committee is pleased to announce the results of the 2023 Kansai chapter elections.Ballots were counted on 5/16 at 20:00 (JST) and recorded by the NEC as follows:

Total Votes: 21

Chair: Write in candidate David Graves

  • 21 votes for David Graves: 100% total valid votes (WINNER confirmed)

Vice-Chair: Write in candidate Linda Crawford

  • 21 votes for Linda Crawford: 100% total valid votes (WINNER confirmed)

Secretary: Write in candidate Erinn LaMattery

  • 21 votes for Erinn LaMattery: 100% total valid votes (WINNER confirmed)

Treasurer: Write in candidate David Johnson

  • 21 votes for David Johnson: 100% total valid votes (WINNER confirmed)

No irregularities found. 

Kansai NEC REPORT CAN BE FOUND HERE

Thanks to everyone for participating

Announcement of the 2023 DAJ Tokai Chapter in Formation Election Results 

The Tokai Nominations and Elections Committee is pleased to announce the results of the 2023 Tokai Chapter Elections. Votes in the officers election were counted on 5/17 and recorded by the Tokai Nominations and Elections committee, as follows:

  • Total ballots cast: 6
  • Total legitimate ballots => complete and where membership could be confirmed: 6

Chair: write-in candidate

  • Votes for Eric Gondree: 6 votes, 100% total valid votes (WINNER, confirmed)

Vice-Chair: write-in candidate

  •  Votes for Frank Blazunas 6 votes, 100% total valid votes (WINNER, confirmed )

Secretary: write-in candidate

  • Votes for Amy Braun - 1 vote 17% total valid votes (WINNER, declined)
  • Votes for no one: 5 votes 83% of total valid votes

Treasurer: write-in candidate 

  • Votes for Eric Gondree- 1 vote 17% total valid votes 
  • Votes for no one: 5 votes 83% of total valid votes (ACCEPTED) 
  • For details see the Tokai NEC REPORT CAN BE FOUND HERE

Thank you!

Sincerely yours,

Announcement of the 2023 DAJ Kanto Chapter  Election Results

The Nominations and Election Committee (NEC) of the DAJ Kanto Chapter is pleased to announce the results of the 2023 Kanto Chapter officer elections. We would like to thank everyone who ran as a candidate and voted in this election. Democrats Abroad Japan is only able to accomplish its goals with the participation of members like you. Votes in the election for officers were accepted until 11:50pm on 5/15/2023 and were counted on 5/16/2023 starting at/about 3:05pm.  They were recorded by the Kanto Chapter NEC, as follows:

  • Total ballots cast:  29
  • Total legitimate ballots  27 completed valid  ballots (1 repeat submission, 1 unsigned)

Chair: write-in candidate

  •   Votes for Lexi Takamatsu - 18 votes, 6.66% total valid votes (WINNER, confirmed)
  •   Votes for no one:- 9, 33.3% of total valid votes
  •   Other write-in Votes: 0, 0.0% of total valid votes

Vice-Chair: 

  •   Votes for Ryusei Iizuka -  27 votes, 100% of total valid votes (WINNER, confirmed)
  •   Write-in Votes: 0, 0.0% of total valid votes

Secretary:

  •   Votes for Jessica Awanohara -  27 votes, 100% of total valid votes (WINNER, confirmed)
  •   Write-in Votes: 0, 0.0% of total valid votes

Treasurer: 

  •   Votes for James Regent -  27 votes, 100% of total valid votes (WINNER, confirmed)
  •   Write-in Votes: 0, 0.0% of total valid votes

No irregularities found. 

Kanto NEC REPORT CAN BE FOUND HERE  

Now on to the heart of what we do -- registering voters and getting out the vote for the 2024 elections!

Sincerely yours,           

  • The Kanto NEC Committee members:
  • John Helwig - Chair
  • Mike Fisher - Secretary
  • Sarajean Rossitto – Social Media
  • email: <[email protected]>

Back-to-top:

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Officer Election

This page contains Candidate Statements and ballots for the 2023 DAJ Officer Elections.

Official Candidate Statements must be received by April 7th, and will be posted before April 15th.

Any write-in candidates' statements will be posted after they have been confirmed as meeting the requirements for office.

Any questions or requests for interviews for national officers may be directed to [email protected] for forwarding to the candidate.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Officer Election Ballot.

Instructions:

  • This Ballot has been mailed to all DAJ members accepting emails on April 15th, 2023.
  • Members may also copy the text here (but the emailed ballots will contain your membership number, which makes counting the ballots easier, so the email ballots are recommended).
  • To be counted the ballot must be returned in person at the Annual General Meeting on April 15th, or by email to: [email protected] by 23:50 JST on May 15th, 2023.  
  • Each ballot must be signed and dated.
    1. They may be signed and dated in person at the AGM meetings.
    2. They may be printed out, signed, scanned and emailed back
    3. Or you can write on a piece of paper:
      • DAJ 2023 Ballot
      • Your Name
      • Your Signature
      • The Date
      • Your email
    4. Take a photo and attach that to the ballot email to be returned to [email protected]
  • To vote, insert an "X" before one name for each office, or an "X" and a name on the write-in line for write-in candidates
  • All DAJ members may vote for the national candidates from National Chair through National Counsel.  Votes for Member-at-Large, and Chapter officers will be open to residents of those areas. 
  • Note: At the April 15th DAJ Annual General Meeting,
    • Anna Costello was nominated from the floor for National Chair, and
    • Ryusei Iizuka was nominated for Member-at-Large for North Eastern Honshu.  
  • A video of the instructions for the election can be found HERE: 
  • Video clips have been added to the candidate statements. 
  • The DPCA voting delegation, including national chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, DPCA voting representative, and two alternates, must be gender balanced.  Subtracting any non-binary candidates from the number, if the remaining number is odd, then the difference between the number of female and male members shall be one.  
  • After counting the ballots, the National  Nominations and Elections committee will select the qualified candidate with the highest vote count for each office, where qualified includes the gender balance requirements.   Video clip HERE:

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Officer Election Ballot:

  • National Chair
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • National Vice Chair
    • Eric Gondree
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • National Secretary
    • Mike Fisher
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • National Treasurer
    • Raymond Kunikane Terhune
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • National Counsel
    • Lexi Takamatsu
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • DPCA Representative
    • Ryusei Iizuka
    • James Regent
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • First Alternate DPCA Representative
    • Sarajean Rossitto
    • James Regent
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Second Alternate DPCA Representative
    • James Regent
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Member-at-Large for Hokkaido
  • Note: You may only vote for this office if you reside in the region represented
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Member-at-Large for North East Honshu (North of the Kanto)
  • Note: You may only vote for this office if you reside in the region represented
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Member-at-Large for South West Honshu (South of the Kobe)
  • Note: You may only vote for this office if you reside in the region represented
    • Cole Sullivan
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Member-at-Large for Kyushu-Shikoku-Okinawa
  • Note: You may only vote for this office if you reside in the region represented
    • Write-in ______________________________________

Fill out the following for a printed ballot, otherwise sign and attach signature page according to the instructions above. 

Printed Name:

Signature:

Membership number:

Date:

Email Address:

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Officer Election Candidate Statements

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Chair:

Write-in Candidate, Anna Costello:

Campaign video clip HERE:

My name is Anna Costello. I was born and raised in upstate New York. I moved to Japan in 2014 to teach English for one year and have lived in Japan ever since, currently residing in the Kanagawa Prefecture.

Thanks to Democrats Abroad Japan’s Get Out The Vote efforts, I learned about VoteFromAbroad.org and was able to successfully register and vote in the 2016 election. Following said election, I became more determined to take action politically and started becoming more involved in Democrats Abroad Japan in 2017. From attending action meetings to writing postcards during Speak Easy’s, I felt invigorated.

Then, I was given the opportunity to take on leadership roles, starting with the role of Nominations and Elections Committee Chair for the 2018 Special Election. Through this role, I gained crucial knowledge about Democrats Abroad at an organizational level and how vital it is to keep compliance. Afterwards, I served briefly as Kanto Secretary before becoming elected as National Secretary of Democrats Abroad Japan from 2019-2021. By serving as Secretary, I gained numerous valuable experiences, including helping to host Democrats Abroad Japan’s Global Primary in 2020, learning from leadership up to the global level of Democrats Abroad, and assisting members to make sure they were able to vote. It was quite a lot work at times. Nonetheless, knowing the bigger role that Democrats Abroad plays and how much people benefit from the work we do, I saw it through to the end as efficiently as I could.

Now, I am here to put in my candidacy for National Chair of Democrats Abroad Japan. Democrats Abroad serves a crucial role in helping overseas Democrats be heard. Officers, volunteers, and members alike have their own goals of what they desire to accomplish through Democrats Abroad. As Chair, I would like ensure that Democrats Abroad Japan runs efficiently and compliantly so the membership can be properly supported and represented. Through my prior experience on the Executive Committee as well as having served five times on Nominations and Elections Committees, I am confident in my ability to stay organized, punctual, and on task. I would be honored to help keep this organization going strong and continuing to inspire and empower Americans as it has done for me.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Vice Chair:

Eric Gondree:

Candidate video HERE:

My goals for the future are: increasing membership, increasing member engagement, increasing turnout for the 2024 election and future elections.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Secretary:

Mike Fisher:

Candidate video HERE:

To the Democrats Abroad Japan membership:

I am thrilled to announce my candidacy for National Secretary of DAJ for the 2023-2025 term. I believe I have the experience and skills necessary to work closely with the rest of DAJ national and chapter leadership—and, of course the entire membership—as we prepare for 2024 elections.

I am a freelance copywriter and moved to Tokyo from the Chicago area in June of last year. Although I am relatively new to DAJ, having joined the organization in September of 2022, I am currently Secretary of the DAJ Kanto chapter’s National Election Committee and help edit the biweekly newsletter sent out by the current National Secretary.

Prior to moving to Japan, from 2017-2022, I was heavily involved with a local Indivisible group in my town in Illinois (Indivisible, as you may know, is a national movement that came about in 2017 to push against Trump and the Trump agenda). Four of those years, until 2020, I was a member of the leadership team that planned GOTV activities (phonebanking, canvassing, etc.) and speaker events, managed communications, and set the agenda and direction of the group.

As the Democratic party and like-minded groups gear up for 2024 election, Democrats living overseas  will be a critical factor in determining outcomes at federal, state, and local levels. I feel my experience, outlined above, as well as my attention to detail and organizational skills make me an ideal candidate for the position to help guide DAJ during this crucial time. I am also very grateful to have received the endorsements of Raymond K. Terhune, current DAJ Member-at-Large for Kyushu/Okinawa and candidate for National Treasurer, and Sarajean Rossitto, current DAJ Chair and candidate for DCPA.

I would be humbled if you choose to vote for me in the national election.

Thank you!

Mike Fisher 

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Treasurer:

Raymond Kunikane Terhune:

Candidate video HERE:

Dear members of Democrats Abroad Japan, my name is Raymond Kunikane Terhune, your candidate for National Treasurer. Currently, I am Member at Large for Kyushu, Shikoku, and Okinawa, also known as the KSO region.

For over a decade, I have held numerous elected roles in Democrats Abroad Japan, from secretary and treasurer in the Kansai chapter, to Member at Large for the Kansai region, and most recently for KSO. In every role, our fellow members and I have worked to reach out and activate democrats both new and old to build a community of politically active Americans here in Japan. Nothing is more encouraging than building a community around shared value.

As we begin to heal from the three-year global pandemic we expect to see in-person events happen more often, and hopefully growth in our membership. As treasurer I wish to be a strong facilitator in the recovery of our momentum. We all watched with bated breath that week of November 2020, as results trickled into those last key states. Just 44,000 votes in three key states propelled Biden into the White House. Your vote matters regardless of where you live. Get registered, vote early, and vote often.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Counsel:

Lexi Takamatsu:

Candidate endorsement video HERE:

My name is Lexi Takamatsu, and I am a California voter who has lived in Japan since 2018.

Last year I took over as counsel for DAJ mid-term, to fill a vacancy left when the former counsel moved out-of-country.

It was a great experience, and I am hoping to continue to serve in this function for the next term.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National DPCA and Alternate Representatives:

Ryusei Iizuka:

Candidate video HERE:

My name is Ryusei Iizuka and I am running to be your next Democratic Party Abroad Committee (DPCA) Representative. I am a dedicated political organizer, former public servant, and Buddhist clergy member who has always put the people first. If elected, I will strive to ensure that our party represents our values and pays attention to issues like expanding voting access to Americans abroad, creating and preserving affordable housing, stopping police brutality, closing the achievement and wealth gaps in our communities of color, and increasing civic engagement through language access. I will fight for a Democratic Party that approaches every issue with an equity lens, works to be more transparent, empowering, unifying, and in-touch with the electorate abroad.

As people of color, we know that the shade of our skin or the shape of our eyes will never change, and we collectively have a choice in how we allow that to define us. I am running to define our communities through hope and courage. I am running to show that there is nothing more American than a candidate with a Venezuelan father and a Japanese mother. I am running on a platform of hope, the hope that the tainted soil of a stolen land tilled by stolen labor can still sprout the flower of democracy.

I am running for this office knowing that I have the experience and skills to deliver for Americans in Japan. I previously served as a Massachusetts Democratic State Committeeman, where I represented youth voters, as well as the Chair of the Young Democrats of Massachusetts Latino Caucus. Prior to becoming a Buddhist priest, I worked as a legislative and communications staffer in the Boston City Council, Massachusetts House of Representatives, and for multiple state and local campaigns. Throughout all of these experiences, I have always worked to be a voice for the unheard and to bring truth to power, just as I will as your DPCA Representative.

In Japan, there is a saying. “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” I like this saying because it represents the resilience that American communities of color display daily. The resilience of immigrant parents who have long ago left behind the familiar call of home to raise their children in America - the resilience of the mother working two or three jobs to feed her children and pay her rent. I pledge to use my voice to speak for the needs of all Americans abroad and our struggling communities back home. The problems facing us are massive and will require the resilience of our party and elected representatives to stand up for justice. We live in times that call for courage, the courage that fills our streets with cries for liberty and justice. I run knowing that if I fall, I will have a community to help me stand. I humbly ask for your vote during the voting period of April 15 - May 15 for Democratic Party Committee Abroad Representative.

Back-to-top:

 

James Regent:

Candidate video HERE:

Hello everyone! My name is James Regent, originally from Pittsburgh PA, and I am running for Treasurer of the Kanto region, DPCA Representative and Alternate DPCA Rep. My involvement in DA started when I joined the Taxation Task Force in January 2022, where I was part of the team that put together the 2022 Report on Tax and Financial Access Issues of Americans Abroad (I urge you to check it out if you haven’t!). I also participated in online meetings with congressional offices to garner support for a series of bills we were trying to include in the larger 2022 Reconciliation package, which were incremental, patchwork attempts to get the ball rolling toward the ultimate goal of switching from the current extraterritorial system to a residence-based one, which I fully support.

As for my background, I came to Japan right after university in August 2009 and participated two years on the JET Program as an assistant English teacher in Saitama. After that, I have worked for one of the general trading houses, Sojitz Corporation, in the role of investment business support since 2011.

As you may have guessed from my where I got my start in DA, I am passionate about the unfair US taxation policies on citizens living overseas. As just one example, without getting too technical, the laws in the books make it nearly impossible to financially plan for the future as Americans abroad; I’ve heard numerous stories of hardworking, middle-class Americans here in Japan who tried to do the responsible thing of opening a retirement account like an iDeco or a NISA, only to find out after the fact the punitive US tax repercussions they exposed themselves to for daring to invest in something “foreign.” Sadly, the majority don’t even realize they are stepping in it until it’s too late. I believe it is necessary to improve financial/tax literacy for Americans living in Japan as so many are unaware of these potholes. This is why I am running for Treasurer of the Kanto region, in which I will help plan tax education events and others where we can share our experiences (tax related or not!).

The unfortunate reality is that our voices are diluted across the US, allowing our politicians to minimalize our issues and neglect us every time they create sweeping tax legislation (see HIRE Act 2010, TCJA Act 2017…) that always results in affecting us negatively. Americans abroad are not counted in the census, meaning there is a lack of “official” data, which is why GOTV is important since our vote from abroad becomes an official statistic we can use to convince politicians about the importance of our issues. But it is only one part of the solution. Active pressure must be applied as well, and DA as an organization is in a position to move the needle (even if only a little) in DC, so I am running for these positions in order to represent all of our needs on this important issue.

Back-to-top:

 

Sarajean Rossitto:

Candidate video HERE:

I am currently DAJ Chair and am running as your  DPCA Alt #1 for 2023~25.  If elected I will continue to devote my energy to the development of DAJ, support the new Executive Committee (ExCom), and
continue to promote voices of DAJ members at the global level on issues that matter most to our members specifically the climate crisis, gender equality, gun violence prevention social justice, voting rights and election and financial reform.

As Chair, during the pandemic, I aimed to tackle one challenge I have seen throughout my involvement in DAJ – being an organization that represents those beyond the Kanto region. In my administration, through online and hybrid events, we are focusing on including members from Tohoku to Kyushu. Regular skills and issue events have been integral to building the broader community online over the last 2 years.

For close to 20 years I have organized a wide range of issues oriented events and been actively involved in GOTV campaigns. As Chair, I ensured that we regularly held action meetings featuring outside and member guest speakers on key issues - specifically climate policy, gun related legislation, voting rights, the Dobbs decision, and the ERA. Prioritizing capacity development through members facilitation of regular workshops on voter assistance, phone banking, and messaging we aimed to build a stronger DAJ. I have also represented DAJ by speaking at domestic and international events.

I attempted to make DAJ a leader globally by ensuring our voices were raised on all issues at the regional and international levels – and hope as an alternative representative, I can help the new leadership navigate their way.

I have worked closely with a number of our members  throughout the years and hope to share my knowledge and skills to support future leaders but promise to stay out of their way. As I move past the chair position, I am happy to say that we have brought in many new people - many of which are running for office at the national and chapter levels.

I whole-heartedly endorse Eric Gondree for Vice-Chair, Mike Fisher for Secretary and Ray Terhune for Treasurer and Ryusei Iizuka for DPCA representative.

I am open to all members' questions and comments. I hope you will support me in this bid.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Member-at-Large for NE Honshu:

Write-in Candidate, Ryusei Iizuka:

Please see Ryusei's statement ABOVE:

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 National Member-at-Large for SW Honshu:

Cole Sullivan:

I’m Cole Sullivan, a recent college graduate and current employee of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (baseball team). Between graduating college last year and moving to Japan in February, I worked as an organizer on Julia Brownley’s (CA-26) re-election campaign after years of mostly passive participation in College Democrats. I really enjoyed the work I got to do and community I got to be a part of as a member of a pro-choice and heavily union-backed campaign, so I committed to building on that experience in the next stage of my life here in Japan. After attending a few DAJ workshops and spending much time with Sarajean, she nominated me and recommended I run for this position so that I could have a formal role within the organization.

As Western/Southern Honshu Representative, I first plan to seek out and recruit new members; there seem to be few active members in this part of Japan. Whether people became inactive due to COVID restrictions or relocation or are new to Japan and don’t realize there is a way to be involved, I hope to build up the regional membership base through advertising in well-foreigner-trafficked spaces (International Centers, the YMCA, international universities, etc.), outreach initiatives like Voters Abroad registration drives, and eventually social events to help drive engagement. I hope to do all this while learning more about what it means to be a member and leader within the Democratic Party and an active citizen of the United States advocating for smart progressive policies based on my experience both at home and abroad.

 

Back-to-top:

 

DEMOCRATS ABROAD JAPAN 2023 KANTO OFFICER ELECTION BALLOT.

Instructions:

  • This Ballot has been mailed to all DAJ-Kanto members accepting emails on April 15th, 2023.
  • Members may also copy the text here (but the emailed ballots will contain your membership number, which makes counting the ballots easier, so the email ballots are recommended).
  • To be counted the ballot must be returned in person at the Annual General Meeting on April 15th, or by email to: [email protected] by 23:50 JST on May 15th, 2023.  
  • Each ballot must be signed and dated.
  1. They may be signed and dated in person at the AGM meetings.
  2. They may be printed out, signed, scanned and emailed back
  3. Or you can write on a piece of paper:DAJ 2023 Ballot
    • Your Name
    • Your Signature
    • The Date
    • Your email
  4. Take a photo and attach that to the ballot email to be returned to [email protected]
  • Lexi Takamatsu was nominated from the floor for Kanto Chair, and has accepted the nomination as a write-in candidate.

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kanto Officer Election Ballot:

  • Kanto Chair
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Kanto Vice Chair
    • Ryusei IIzuka
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Kanto Secretary
    • Jessica Awanohara
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Kanto Treasurer
    • James Regent
    • Write-in ______________________________________

Fill out the following for a printed ballot, otherwise sign and attach signature page according to the instructions above. 

Printed Name:            ___________________________________________________

Signature:                    __________________________________________________

Membership number: ____________________________________________________

Date:                           __________________________________________________

Email Address:           ____________________________________________________

 

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kanto Officer Election Candidate Statements

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kanto Chair:

Lexi Takamatsu, write-in candidate:

My name is Lexi Takamatsu, and I am a write-in candidate for the Chair of Democrats Abroad Japan Kanto Chapter. I have lived in Tokyo for around 5 years, working as an international arbitration lawyer. I have served as the DAJ National Counsel since mid-2022, and although my time with DAJ so far has been relatively short, I am committed to carrying forward the organization's strong sense of community and shared values.
As Chair, I will prioritize outreach and collaboration to expand our reach and continue to build relationships--especially now that we can all meet in person again! I will also work to increase voter registration and turnout among Democrats abroad, ensuring that our voices are heard, in particular in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. 
Thank you for your consideration.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kanto Vice Chair:

Ryusei Iizuka:

My name is Ryusei Iizuka and I am running to be your next Kanto Chapter Vice Chair. I am a dedicated political activist, former public servant, Buddhist clergy member, and currently serving as DAJ’s Communications Committee Chair. I know that I have the experience and skills to serve in this role and to provide a resource for DAJ members in the Kanto region. Political volunteerism is an aspect of my life that I am passionate about and as such, I have previously served as the Chair and Vice Chair of the Young Democrats of Massachusetts Latino Caucus and as a Massachusetts Democratic State Committeeman - to name just a few of my prior engagements. In my professional career prior to the priesthood, I served as legislative and communications staffer for several elected officials at the local, state, and national levels as well as an advisor and staffer on a variety of campaigns.

We all know that the upcoming 2023-24 election cycle is a critical one to preserving the accomplishments Democrats have made since taking over the White House and to keep enacting deeply needed change for our nation. To best do our part as Democratic voters abroad, we need to have a strong organization at the chapter and national level to be able to truly get out the vote. I know that with my experience, I can be a part of a strong team that will work to mobilize, engage, and activate voters here in Kanto and not just for the election - but for the long term. Community building isn’t done overnight and I look forward to working together with all to create a strong community of dedicated voters and activists here in the heart of Japan to help make our home country one that we can be prouder of.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kanto Secretary:

Jessica Awanohara:

Dear Democrats Abroad Japan Members, 

Hello! My name is Jessica Awanohara and I live in Tokyo, Japan. I was nominated by Sarajean Rossito for the DAJ Kanto Secretary position and would like to submit my candidate statement. 

I was born and raised in Dunbarton, New Hampshire, a small town  of roughly 1,000 people located near the State capital of Concord. After graduating high school, I received a BA in Art History and worked in the arts for many years before undertaking a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning. 

After completing my graduate degree, I joined the New York City Office of Emergency Management as a disaster logistics planner. In this position, I built programs to support the mitigation, response, and recovery from natural and man-made disasters. I wrote internal planning documents as well as field-operations guides that continue to be used by the City today. These include The Emergency Supply Stockpile plan - which serves roughly 1 million New Yorkers in shelters and evacuation centres, and the Logistics Staging Area Plan - which brings recovery equipment into the City following a disaster. Developed alongside local, state, and federal government agencies as well as with key private-sector partners, these plans orchestrated the movements of resources, volunteers, government workers, and 3rd party logistics providers. 

One successful partnership I developed was with the New York City Mets. I ran a large-scale logistics operation at the stadium for five months following Hurricane Sandy. A key takeaway from this partnership was the importance of understanding what motivated and challenged the Mets as an organization. We designed a plan that addressed their needs as well as the City’s.

Throughout my career, I held a number of volunteer and intern positions. I worked as a youth mentor, researcher, and emergency responder at the Reciprocity Foundation, The American Red Cross, the Urban Justice Centre, and others. Currently, I study User Experience (UX) Design.

As a registered Democrat I am passionate about environmental issues, social justice, and women’s health. Change must come through citizen action and I strongly believe that meaningful change can only happen with a diverse coalition of voices. We must find ways to support issues important to all Democrats. 

If elected as the Kanto chapter Secretary of DAJ, I aim to regularize volunteer management. I would like to evaluate and streamline how DAJ acquires, engages, and retains volunteers. This will be accomplished by speaking with past, current, and prospective volunteers, making small but impactful adjustments to DAJ web pages, and creating assets to help onboard and train volunteers. I will establish simple goals and track performance. My objective is to ensure DAJ continues to attract new recruits and ladder existing members up to volunteers. DAJ runs on the good work of volunteers, without which, thousands of votes may go uncast. I’m looking forward to helping increase the voting rate in Japan.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kanto Treasurer:

James Regent:

Hello everyone! My name is James Regent, originally from Pittsburgh PA, and I am running for Treasurer of the Kanto region. My involvement in DA started when I joined the Taxation Task Force inJanuary 2022, where I was part of the team that put together the 2022 Report on Tax and Financial Access Issues of Americans Abroad (I urge you to check it out if you haven’t!). I also participated in online meetings with congressional offices to garner support for a series of bills we were trying to include in the larger 2022 Reconciliation package, which were incremental, patchwork attempts to get the ball rolling toward the ultimate goal of switching from the current extraterritorial system to a residence-based one, which I fully support.

 As for my background, I came to Japan right after university in August 2009 and participated two years on the JET Program as an assistant English teacher in Saitama. After that, I have worked for one of the general trading houses, Sojitz Corporation, in the role of investment business support since 2011.

As you may have guessed from my where I got my start in DA, I am passionate about the unfair US taxation policies on citizens living overseas. As just one example, without getting too technical, the laws in the books make it nearly impossible to financially plan for the future as Americans abroad; I’ve heard numerous stories of hard working, middle-class Americans here in Japan who tried to do the responsible thing of opening a retirement account like an iDeco or a NISA, only to find out after the fact the punitive US tax repercussions they exposed themselves to for daring to invest in something “foreign.” Sadly, the majority don’t even realize they are stepping in it until it’s too late. I believe it is necessary to improve financial/tax literacy for Americans living in Japan as so many are unaware of these potholes. This is why I am running for Treasurer of the Kanto region, in which I will help plan tax education events and others where we can share our experiences (tax related or not!).
The unfortunate reality is that our voices are diluted across the US, allowing our politicians to minimalize our issues and neglect us every time they create sweeping tax legislation (see HIRE Act 2010, TCJA Act 2017…) that always results in affecting us negatively. Americans abroad are not counted in the census, meaning there is a lack of “official” data, which is why GOTV is important since our vote from abroad becomes an official statistic we can use to convince politicians about the importance of our issues. But it is only one part of the solution. Active pressure must be applied as well, and DA as an organization is in a position to move the needle (even if only a little) in DC, so I am running for this position in the Kanto region to raise awareness of this important issue as it effects all Americans living in Japan.

Back-to-top:

 

DEMOCRATS ABROAD JAPAN 2023 KANSAI OFFICER ELECTION BALLOT.

Instructions:

  • This Ballot has been mailed to all DAJ-Kansai members accepting emails on April 15th, 2023.
  • Members may also copy the text here (but the emailed ballots will contain your membership number, which makes counting the ballots easier, so the email ballots are recommended).
  • To be counted the ballot must be returned in person at the Annual General Meeting on April 15th, or by email to: [email protected] by 23:50 JST on May 15th, 2023.  
  • Each ballot must be signed and dated.
  1. They may be signed and dated in person at the AGM meetings.
  2. They may be printed out, signed, scanned and emailed back
  3. Or you can write on a piece of paper: DAJ 2023 Ballot
    • Your Name
    • Your Signature
    • The Date
    • Your email
  4. Take a photo and attach that to the ballot email to be returned to [email protected]

On April 23rd, the following Kansai candidates were nominated from the floor

Chair David Graves
Vice chair Linda Crawford
Secretary Erinn LaMattery
Treasurer David Johnson

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kansai Officer Election Ballot:

  • Kansai Chair
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Kansai Vice Chair
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Kansai Secretary
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Kansai Treasurer
    • Write-in ______________________________________

Fill out the following for a printed ballot, otherwise sign and attach signature page according to the instructions above. 

Printed Name:            ___________________________________________________

Signature:                    __________________________________________________

Membership number: ____________________________________________________

Date:                           __________________________________________________

Email Address:           ____________________________________________________

 

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kansai Chair:

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kansai Vice Chair:

 

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kansai Secretary:

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Kansai Treasurer:

 

Back-to-top:

 

DEMOCRATS ABROAD JAPAN 2023 TOKAI OFFICER ELECTION BALLOT.

Instructions:

  • This Ballot has been mailed to all DAJ-Tokai members accepting emails on April 15th, 2023.
  • Members may also copy the text here (but the emailed ballots will contain your membership number, which makes counting the ballots easier, so the email ballots are recommended).
  • To be counted the ballot must be returned in person at the Annual General Meeting on April 15th, or by email to: [email protected] by 23:50 JST on May 15th, 2023.  
  • Each ballot must be signed and dated.
  1. They may be signed and dated in person at the AGM meetings.
  2. They may be printed out, signed, scanned and emailed back
  3. Or you can write on a piece of paper:
    • DAJ 2023 Ballot
    • Your Name
    • Your Signature
    • The Date
    • Your email
  4. Take a photo and attach that to the ballot email to be returned to [email protected]
  • Eric Gondree was nominated from the floor for Tokai Chair.
  • Frank Blazunas was nominated from the floor for Tokai Vice Chair, and
  • Amy Braun was nominated from the floor for Tokai Secretary, Amy has since declined

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Tokai Officer Election Ballot:

  • Tokai Chair
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Tokai Vice Chair
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Tokai Secretary
    • Write-in ______________________________________
  • Tokai Treasurer
    • Write-in ______________________________________

Fill out the following for a printed ballot, otherwise sign and attach signature page according to the instructions above. 

Printed Name:            ___________________________________________________

Signature:                    __________________________________________________

Membership number: ____________________________________________________

Date:                           __________________________________________________

Email Address:           ____________________________________________________

 

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Tokai Chair:

Eric Gondree, write-in candidate:

Candidate video HERE:

see candidate statement ABOVE:

 

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Tokai Vice Chair:

Frank Blazunas, write-in candidate:

I look forward to assisting Eric in my role as Vice-Chair of DAJ Tokai. I hope to contribute in any way I can. Together we can lay the groundwork for successful voter outreach.

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Tokai Secretary:

Back-to-top:

 

Democrats Abroad Japan 2023 Tokai Treasurer:

Back-to-top: