Join us for our yearly Annual General Meeting where we will announce the results of our DAUK elections and look forward to a bright future!

Town Hall on Democrats Abroad's Delegate Selection Plan!

Join us on March 27 at 10:00 AM US Eastern

(AMERICAS friendly time)

Across the US and world, all 57 Democratic state parties are at work planning the 2024 presidential primary contest, specifically by developing a Delegate Selection Plan unique to their state party. In a nutshell, the DSP is a binding document that defines how each state party will run their 2024 presidential primary and select delegates to send to the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Each state party must submit a final delegate selection plan to the Democratic National Committee by May 3, 2023. Prior to that, there must be a 30-day public comment period, launched on March 6.

Please join this Town Hall to give feedback, learn more, and ask questions about the 2024 Delegate Selection Plan.

The final draft DSP must then be approved by Democrats Abroad's elected leaders (vote scheduled for April 22 DPCA Meeting) prior to submission on May 3, 2023.

You can review a copy of our draft 2024 Delegate Selction Plan which was posted for public comment on our website on March 6, 2023. Public comments on the draft are to be submitted on the form here through April 5, 2023.

(Please include the page and line number your feedback refers to in your email. Thank you!)

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Convert to local time here: https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/.

Join us for DA Finland's 2023 AGM and Elections on April 18th! To run for office or with election questions, write to [email protected] To RSVP for a virtual link, write to [email protected]. Come in person or join us online....welcome!

March is Women's History Month. We will discuss African Women Entrepreneurs: Green Energy Innovators in our March Climate Cafe. Tracy Dolan will be our guest to discuss the pivotal role women entrepreneurs in Africa play in the green energy transition.

About the Speaker:

Tracy Dolan has over 20 years of management experience in sustainable development and social inclusion. She is a Senior Manager in KPMG’s International Development Advisory Services (IDAS) practice, where her recent clients have included the Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, Global Green Growth Institute, UNOPS, and the Nordic Development Fund. During 2018-2022 she was Head of Knowledge for EEP Africa, a multi-donor financing facility for clean energy companies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Earlier in her career, Tracy worked for USAID, the Women’s Development and Environment Organization (WEDO), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and several other international NGOs and foundations. She has participated in UN conferences on gender, environment, and financing for development and has been a speaker at events on gender lens investing and creating opportunities for youth and marginalized communities. Tracy is a former member of DA Finland’s executive committee and currently serves on the board of Lyra in Africa, an NGO supporting girls’ education and entrepreneurship in Tanzania.

RSVP to receive the zoom link.

Message from the Chair

February commenced with President Biden's resoundingly successful State of the Union address, during which he highlighted the urgency of the climate crisis and the bold advances of his administration. “The climate crisis doesn’t care if you’re in a red or blue state. It’s an existential threat,” Biden stated. “I’m proud of how America at last is stepping up to the challenge. The Inflation Reduction Act is also the most significant investment ever in climate change — ever,” Biden emphasized. “Lowering utility bills, creating American jobs, leading the world to a clean energy future.”

Since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed in August, companies have announced more than 100,000 new climate-related jobs.  Battery manufacturing, electric vehicle production, and other clean energy facilities are ramping up in key states, and billions of dollars are being allocated to programs to address environmental justice across the U.S. The International Energy Agency  (IEA) recently announced that low-emissions sources will account for nearly all global electricity growth in the next three years. Though this progress certainly underscores the reassuring prospect of a fossil-free future, many hurdles remain unscaled for the energy sector’s total transformation as the country and planet continue to face environmental calamity.

On Feb.3rd, the people of East Palestine, Ohio, suffered immediate and long-term consequences from the Norfolk Southern train derailment, which spewed toxic chemicals such as vinyl chloride into the air and, ultimately, into the groundwater and soil. Much blame for the catastrophe was pointed at roll-backs implemented by the Trump administration in railroad safety regulations. Federal and EPA representatives have assessed the site, and deployed additional resources to the area (see White House fact sheet). The EPA has now ordered Norfolk Southern to clean up and pay for damages. Sadly, railroad executives have sacrificed safety over profits for centuries at great cost to human health and the environment. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) is calling on Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to reinstate railway safety regulations from the Obama administration and to address the wider implications of these regulations.

We must stay engaged on all fronts to encourage and press our representatives to take decisive action on behalf of the environment and climate. Your voice matters. Your vote matters.  

Dana Freling,

Chair, DA Environment & Climate Crisis Council

Six states have elections scheduled for 2023:

It’s good practice to register every year to vote, so request your absentee ballot today from Votefromabroad.org! For more information about specific races, check 2023 State Voting Information and 2023 Election Dates.     

First up: Wisconsin!  WI will be choosing a state Supreme Court judge in April, and by electing the liberal progressive, the Court majority will flip from 4-3 "conservative" to 4-3 "liberal." (The position is "nonpartisan," so we are not using Party names.)

Welcome to our March Climate Cafe – African Women Entrepreneurs: Green Energy Innovators. In homage to Women's History Month, Tracy Dolan will be our guest to discuss the pivotal role women entrepreneurs in Africa play in the green energy transition.

March Climate Cafe March 22, 2023, 10:00am ET/ 4:00pm CET

RSVP

The Emergence of Circular Carbon by Diana Powers

Climate Change, Heatwaves, and Low-Income Populations: A Deadly Combination by Elizabeth Clarey

Check out these news highlights from the last month!

💧 “Water Always Wins:” A Nat Geo Explorer’s Quest to Help Solve Drought

♻️ Biden backs EV battery recycling with $2B loan

💪 EPA Announces $27 Billion Effort to Curb Emissions and Stem Environmental Injustices. Advocates Say It’s a Good Start

🚗 Electric Vehicles Could Match Gasoline Cars on Price This Year

🍀 Minnesota Has Passed a Landmark Clean Energy Law. Which State Is Next?

🦌 Wildlife species worldwide exposed to ‘forever chemicals,’ survey shows

⚖️ 87 Countries Have Reached Clean Energy Tipping Point

♨️ Meet the top House recipients of oil and gas money

🎯 EPA eyes cumulative pollution to boost environmental justice

🚞 The Ohio Train Disaster: Corporate Greed & Regulatory Failure

🔔 Buttigieg pushes Norfolk Southern to support higher rail safety standards

Volunteer with the ECCC – Contact us at [email protected] if you’d like to get more involved. Join our working group, the Watchdogs Research Task Force, or help with various tasks, including social media and communications.

Write your representative:

• Contact U.S. Senators
• Contact U.S. Representatives 
• Contact State Representatives

Guide to the IRA - This Guide Can Help You Save Money and Fight Climate Change

Sign the Petition to Declare a Climate Emergency -

https://forms.gle/xgLiwjdowDxFpnhT9

Phone Bank - On February 23, we started calling DA members who vote in WI. On February 26, we’ll start calling other overseas WI Democrats from the “voter rolls.” (If you want to join the special team making voter rolls calls, please write to [email protected].

🌎 Watch our February 2023 Climate Café - Preserving the Lungs of the Planet: Brazil's 2nd chance!

🌍 Watch our December Climate Café – Arts and Climate Activism, with special guest Michelle Deatrick

🌍 Watch our November Climate Café - COP27 Round up: Live from Sharm El Sheik with Sam Goodman

🌍 Watch our YOUTH v GOV Voices Webinar

🌍 Watch our October Climate Café – Climate Change and Environment Justice: Doing Right by Africa

🌍 Watch our September Climate Cafe on the Inflation Reduction Act 

🌍 Read the ECCC Statement on the Inflation Reduction Act

🌏 Watch our August Climate Café on Climate and Disabilities

🌍 Watch our July Climate Café on Queer Ecology

🌍 Did you miss our Co₂nsequences: Global Climate Rally in April? You can watch it here.  We had a lot of great speakers and performers.

🌍 Want to make your lifestyle greener?  Boost your knowledge. Check out our Earth Care Toolkit.

Please consider donating to Democrats Abroad Environment & Climate Crisis Council to help with our ongoing efforts to get out the green vote and connect all of you with the policies and people fighting for a more sustainable planet.

Click on the link to become a one-time or sustaining donor!

A meaningful way to get out our message is through social media. We need your help extending our essential message by following, liking, and subscribing to our newly established social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. We can’t beat the algorithms without your help.

Thank you for your engagement and support,
DA Environment & Climate Crisis Council

Message from the Chair

Happy 2023….and a renewed chance to move that needle on climate and environmental justice. Since the official launch of Democrats Abroad ECCC one year ago, we have accomplished a lot, both within our organization with your support and through the Biden administration with the help of Congress. Federal funds are now being allocated to local governments and to states and tribes to help with electrification, weatherization, and renewable energy infrastructure.  

Though much was accomplished in 2022 legislatively in favor of climate change mitigation and our transition toward a fossil fuel-free economy, continued progress will be difficult with a GOP-controlled House. We will continue our fight to stop fossil fuel subsidies and new fossil fuel infrastructure, to push for biodiversity protection, a Windfall Profits Tax, and recognition of the Climate Emergency. Our recourse lies in federal agencies, state legislatures, local initiatives, and executive emergency powers. Environmental activists around the country are calling for the President to use his executive powers to declare a Climate Emergency.

Please sign our Democrats Abroad Petition to the White House to declare a Climate Emergency!

We will continue organizing globally to ensure that climate voters like you are informed and have a voice in this existential issue of our time in 2023, 2024, and beyond. Thank you all for your engagement, support, and inspiration this first year of our Council!

Dana Freling  

Chair, DA Environment & Climate Crisis Council

Co₂nsequences: ECCC December Newsletter

Message from the Chair

Wishing all of you a holiday season filled with gratitude and love…for one another and for the beautiful planet on which we reside.

As we assess the tectonic year of 2022, we observe both tragedy and progress apportioned to our world and country. Record-breaking climate events have littered the planet, from the cataclysmic floods covering 1/3 of Pakistan to severe heat waves, fires, and droughts across China, Europe, and Africa, and extreme hurricanes/typhoons in the U.S. and parts of Asia. And sadly, little was achieved at COP27 to help us limit temperature rise to the 1.5C goal.

On the promising side, consensus for a fund for Loss & Damage was reached last minute at COP27 in Egypt, and a Biodiversity Fund was established at COP15 in Montreal. In the U.S., the Biden administration passed the Inflation Reduction Act, with $370 billion earmarked for climate change mitigation, ratified the Kigali Amendment, moved to electrify the postal service fleet, and established the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.

American publicly and privately subsidized research has born exciting breakthroughs in fusion technology, which promise to help decarbonize energy in decades to come, advancements in green hydrogen, with hopes of decarbonizing air travel, and progress in renewable energy storage.

In the U.S. midterms, Democrats actually grew the Senate majority with the final runoff victory of Rev. Warnock in Georgia. We defied historical trends by only narrowly losing the house and achieved trifecta victories in several key states. 

We also celebrate this month’s landmark biodiversity agreement in Montreal, ’30 by 30’, promising to protect the globe’s frail remaining ecosystems, which is key to stopping climate change. Neither the climate crisis nor biodiversity loss will be successfully resolved unless tackled in tandem. The threat of mass extinction of plant and animal species led 195 nations to agree to protect and restore at least 30% of the Earth’s land and water by 2030. Rich nations shall pay roughly $30 billion annually by 2030 through a fund created under the Global Environment Facility.

As we close the circle on 2022 and mobilize for another round of political and environmental engagement, remember that healing and regenerating our planet starts with each of us. Please care for yourself as you help care for this planet.

Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season,

Dana Freling
Chair, DA Environment & Climate Crisis Council

Co₂nsequences: ECCC November Newsletter

Dana --

Message from the Chair

November has been a month of hope, success, and disappointment, both with the U.S. midterms and the results of COP27. It is also the month of thanksgiving, so we give thanks to all of you and the progress we have made.

In the U.S. midterms, Democrats have retained and may even grow the majority in the Senate next month with the Georgia run-off. Democrats have also defied historical trends by only narrowly losing the house, but there will be consequences. Republican leadership has already signaled the elimination of the climate crisis committee. U.S. support of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27 and the adaption of language to phase down fossil fuels will certainly be political dynamite, as well, for the Biden administration in the hands of a Republican House.

Regionally, there are points of light. Republicans in historically conservative states that once resisted the clean-energy movement are now competing for these factories. Voters across New York state approved a $4.2 billion environmental bond measure in the midterms to bolster climate mitigation and land preservation projects. And a number of states have newly elected trifecta Democratic leadership ready to support environmental justice initiatives and forge our transition to a zero carbon economy.

On a global level, negotiations at COP27 in Egypt ended with a historic deal that resets the relationship between rich and poor countries by establishing a fund for “loss and damage”.  U.S. and EU negotiators stepped up heroically in a last-minute, overtime deal. Nonetheless, on measures to phase down oil and gas and increase funding for adaptation, COP27 delivered little progress. The world's path leads to upwards of 1.5C warming, a critical threshold for avoiding catastrophic climate disruptions. Sam Goodman, reporting from Egypt, has graciously submitted an overview in this month’s featured article, ‘COP27: 1.5 is Dead, and the Fund is Alive’.

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres concluded the conference with, ”Our planet is still in the emergency room. We need to drastically reduce emissions now – and this is an issue this COP did not address. A fund for loss and damage is essential – but it’s not an answer if the climate crisis washes a small island state off the map – or turns an entire African country to desert.” Democrats and the Biden administration have made a small step forward in this mission, but we must join hands to save this planet together.

Dana Freling - Chair, Environment & Climate Crisis Council

Co₂nsequences:

ECCC Monthly Newsletter

Message from the Chair

💙  For those of you who thought no politicians were listening to the dire warnings on climate change, we finally have a Democratic administration making historic leaps both with $270 billion in climate legislation in the Inflation Reduction Act and $65 billion in an Infrastructure Bill promoting a green grid and clean energy. Get your ballots back to RENEW THE FUTURE with your vote! Only 14 days until the midterm elections! All hands on deck, folks, to keep this country moving in a positive direction for the environment, for women's rights, and for democracy itself.

Have you received and returned your ballot? If not, consult votefromabroad.com now! What more can you do? Make sure every friend and relative is vote-ready, both from abroad and stateside! You can also sign up to phone bank for DA; it's easy and fun, and we really need callers in this final stretch.

Please attend two great back-to-back events we are hosting next week: An Africa-themed Climate Café on the 26^th and on the 27th, a global panel event called YOUTH v GOV Voices (part of the Delivering Democracy From Abroad series) with some of the extraordinary activists from the hit Netflix documentary of the same name! RSVP Below.

You make the road by walking...let's vote!

Dana Freling,
Chair, Environment & Climate Crisis Council

Message from the Chair

💙 Less than 45 days until the midterm elections; we will indeed be voting on THE FUTURE WE CHOSE. To forward the Biden administration’s climate agenda (not to mention voting rights and reproductive rights), we must individually do everything possible to get Democrats elected up and down every ballot. Make sure you, your neighbors and friends, your family back home, and their networks are all registered and casting their ballots appropriately. Once that’s done, volunteer with us, phone bank, or join in a local registration drive.

🔔 The recent flooding in Pakistan covers 1/3 of its territory, putting at least 2 million at severe risk of disease and starvation. Hurricane Fiona has walloped Puerto Rico this month, a mere five years after the devastating Maria, and summer’s heat waves and fires have ravaged nearly every continent. These climate-related events are becoming more frequent and more severe, and scientists understand that it is just the beginning.  Radical measures must be taken across every sector and nation to save our ailing planet.

🌎 Accordingly, representatives from nations worldwide have convened this week on the U.S. East Coast to attend the UN General Assembly and Climate Week in New York, with parallel climate forums taking place across the city. Also, in Boston, the finalists of the Earthshot Prize (a global prize for the environment designed to incentivize change and repair our planet) were announced in full fanfare. Climate is understandably big on the agenda, with calls for unity to meet this challenge. Appropriately, Al Gore called out the President of the World Bank, David Malpass, for being a climate denier. There is no place in our U.S. government or vital international institutions for powerful agents, holding the world’s purse strings, to ignore the scientific community.

🆘 One topic nearly every leader addressing the U.N General Assembly reiterated was the menacing global climate emergency. In addition to all the other efforts the administration is pushing to address this threat, President Biden must declare the crisis federally. Please sign our petition to urge the President to declare a National Climate Emergency!

This is a midterm election year — all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 Senate seats, and 39 gubernatorial seats are up for grabs in November. U.S. citizens have the right to vote in primary and general elections, no matter where in the world they live! If you're a U.S. citizen, dual-national, or will be 18 on November 8, 2022, you have the right to vote from abroad in US elections — including in the November 2022 midterms!

As a U.S. citizen, you can register to vote from abroad while living, working, or traveling overseas by submitting one form — the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). It doesn't matter if you were registered to vote before you left the U.S., how long you’ve lived outside the U.S., or if you've never resided in the U.S. at all. You have the right to vote!

The U.S. State Department recommends, “all U.S. citizens living abroad complete and submit a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) annually, to ensure you remain on your state’s voter rolls and to ensure your local election office has your up-to-date contact information.” Vote From Abroad provides all the information, forms, and support help in one place to make voting easy!

📌  Please note that there is NO IN-PERSON VOTING in Finland for the November election! 📌

✭ ✭ ✭ In 2022, these States must mail in the ballot. Vote as soon as you get your ballot! Don't wait to return your ballot! ✭ ✭ ✭

 Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Go to www.votefromabroad.org/states for specific  details

✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭

What's covered on this page: 

1. Registering to vote and requesting your ballot

2. Confirming your request has been accepted

3. Receiving your ballot

4. Oct 1 and the ballot hasn’t arrived? 

5. Voting your ballot

6. Returning your ballot

7. Checking twice to prevent mistakes

8. Confirming your ballot's arrival

9. What to do if you encounter difficulties

✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭

1. Registering to vote and requesting your ballot for the 2022 midterm elections

The first step is to request your ballot, and if need be, register to vote from abroad. You should do this every election year to ensure you remain on your state’s overseas voter rolls and to ensure your local election office has your up-to-date contact information. It’s important to register as an absentee voter from abroad because the ballots of US citizens voting from abroad have special protections and are different from the standard absentee ballot. 

Go to votefromabroad.org to fill out your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) absentee ballot request — it takes 5-10 minutes! If you're not registered to vote, the FPCA also serves as a voter registration form. Choose the option to receive ballots by email.

The second step is to submit the FPCA absentee ballot request form to your local election office in the United States. Most states allow you to submit your FPCA directly from votefromabroad.org without the need to print it out. But some states require that you submit your completed form by email attachment, fax, or postal mail. State deadlines and submission methods can be found here.

If you have any questions while filling out your request form, go to the Vote from Abroad FAQ section or type your question in the website's chatbox (red circle in the bottom right-hand corner of each screen). Or you can email us at [email protected] 

2. Confirming your request has been accepted  ✅

After submitting your FPCA absentee ballot request form, call or email your Local Election Official (LEO) to confirm they have received it and will be sending your ballot. Your LEO's contact information is listed in the instructions generated when you fill out your FPCA form at Vote from Abroad. You can also look up their contact info here. 

Most states provide a website where you can verify your voter status. To find your state's website, click here and scroll down to “Where Is My Ballot?"

3. Receiving your ballot 📬

Your overseas absentee ballot is not your standard absentee ballot back home! Thanks to the MOVE Act, all states must send FPCA-requested  absentee ballots to overseas voters no later than 45 days before a federal election — this year that’s September 24, 2022. 

And, if requested, all states must send overseas voters their ballot by email.

You don't need to wait for ballots to arrive on September 24. If you're worried your ballot won't arrive on time, send in a Backup Ballot NOW. The Backup Ballot (Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot or FWAB) is specifically for overseas voters who are concerned they won't receive their official ballot in time to return it by the deadline. All details about the Backup Ballot can be found here.

4. Your ballot hasn’t arrived? 📭

Check your spam folder. Still no ballot? Contact your local election official here and confirm they’ve sent your ballot to you. Go to votefromabroad.org if you need to send in a new FPCA absentee ballot request form.

If you haven’t received your ballot by October 1 and your state requires postal mail return, we recommend you send in a Backup Ballot to make sure your vote gets to your state in time. All details about the Backup Ballot can be found here.

5. Voting your ballot 🗳️

It’s easy to get informed about candidates, ballot initiatives, and judicial candidates and important to vote your ballot completely. State and local races are critical in 2022! 

The simplest way is to vote for Democrats straight down the ballot. Some elected positions do not list a party affiliation, like school boards, judges, and others. To determine who to vote for in those cases, you can do the following: 

• Google your county's local Democratic Party
• Go to the League of Women Voters personalized ballot service 
• Go to Ballotpedia - Example: google “Ballotpedia Arizona elections 2022”
• Google the candidate's name to find their campaign website

6. There are lots of ways to return your ballot! 

📌 Remember! Only use a mail service if you cannot return your ballot electronically 📌

Ballot return methods – by email, online, postal mail, fax – vary by state. Always return your ballot as quickly as possible, but especially if your state only allows postal mail return. Find your state's exact ballot return methods here.

If your state allows email, online upload or fax  for ballot return, please use these options as they’re not subject to delay! Here is more information on fax submission.

If your state requires postal mail return, see info below on options from Austria.

New Jersey Voters: Please note that New Jersey allows for email or fax returns, but requires that the ballot ALSO be sent by postal mail.

New York Voters: Here are instructions on How to fold the New York State General Election ballot.

➡ International Postal Service:  

If your state requires postal mail ballot return, one option is to use express international mail from the Finnish Postal Service. Please remember mail service can be slow and send your ballot as soon as possible!

You should – and some states require you – to ask for a postmark or date stamp to be placed on the outer envelope. Find out your state’s requirements here. 

➡ The U.S. Embassy/Consulate diplomatic pouch: The U.S. Consulate in Finland requests that ballots sent by the diplomatic post be dropped off no later than four weeks before the ballot due date. You will need to place your ballots in a U.S. postage paid return envelopes (usually provided with your ballot) or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage. You can download a free U.S. postage-paid return envelope template at FVAP.gov.

Please be aware that using the diplomatic pouch does not mean your ballot will arrive faster. It can take up to four weeks for the mail to reach its final destination. Use a Back-up Ballot to make the diplomatic pouch deadline if your regular ballot hasn’t arrived. Find out more here.

The U.S. Consulate address in Finland is: 

U.S. Embassy Helsinki
Itäinenpuistotie 14B
00140 Helsinki, Finland
Hours: Weekdays between 8am and 4pm. (Closed U.S. and Finnish holidays)

More information is on the website. 

➡ Courier Service:

If your state requires postal mail ballot return, the quickest option is to use a courier service.

Even with expedited courier services though, ballots still take several days to get to the United States. Please send your ballot as soon as possible! Do not wait! You should – and some states require you – ask for a postmark or date stamp to be placed on the outer envelope. Find out your state’s requirements here. We do not recommend booking or paying online with any courier service. You will not receive a postmark if you book or pay online.

📌 Remember! Only use a mail service if you cannot return your ballot electronically 📌

7. Checking twice to prevent mistakes 👀

When filling out and packaging your ballot, don't forget to review the instructions carefully. Don't let human error spoil your ballot!

Regardless of how you send in your ballot, remember that you – the voter – must be the one who places it “in the mail.” In some states, it is unlawful for any other person to handle your voted ballot, even if it is sealed. Unsure? Find out your state’s requirements here. 

8. Confirming your ballot's arrival at your local election office in the United States ✓✓

Once you've sent your ballot, follow up with your local election official to make sure that it arrived and will be counted. Please do not just assume that your ballot has made it! 

The easiest way to ensure your ballot has arrived is to go to "Track Your Ballot" on your state’s website. You can also look up your local election office's contact details here and contact them directly. They may be experiencing a high volume of calls, so you may need to be persistent to get through to someone.

9. Having trouble? Need help? 😕

We understand that the voting process to some states can be confusing — that's why we're here to help! Send us an email at  [email protected] or contact [email protected]

Or, a one-on-one live voter help is just a Zoom away! Click in to ZoomTheVote, hosted and staffed by experienced VoteFromAbroad voter helpers, from anywhere in the world. Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon-4pm EDT and Sundays from 11am-3pm EDT. Link to join is here: https://qrco.de/bbh0zg Please share widely!

Hello Friends,

⛽️ 🔌 Fall is in the air here in Finland, as we hunker down in preparation for exorbitant energy price hikes for winter, thanks to our bellicose Russian neighbors. Promise of Olkiluoto 3 nuclear energy relief by year end is still uncertain, unfortunately. Sanna Marin has been making headlines around the world, with feminist support emerging globally, even from the likes of Hilary Clinton. And President Biden plans to establish a new ambassador-at-large position focused on the Arctic region, which of course includes Finland, because of the growing strategic importance of the region geo-politically.

☔️ 🔥The U.S. and rest of the world continue to experience catastrophic climate events, with floods ravaging many states and countries. The Inflation Reduction Act has now been signed into law, set to drop the federal deficit, lower the price of drug prices for Medicare recipients, and put nearly $400 billion in resources toward climate change mitigation.

⚖️ 💪 Also embedded in the IRA, is text which amends the Clean Air Act, defining carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels as an air pollutant.  The EPA may therefore again have jurisdiction to regulate greenhouse gases and support adaption of various alternative energies. That power had been stripped by the June Supreme Court decision in W. Virginia vs the EPA. Good news indeed! Similarly, New York state just circumvented a Supreme Court decision in June, which prevented them from imposing stricter gun laws in the state, by voting on new legislation coming into effect this week.

🗽  Other positive news includes the victory of Mary Peltola (D) over Sarah Palin in Alaska (R) for a special congressional election. Peltola is not only the first Democrat sent to Washington in 50 years, but the first Naive American to represent her state. Her Finnish name reflects her current husband’s roots, by the way.

🎉 Encouraging legislative news also includes the new Chips and Science Act, a veterans bill which expands medical coverage for those exposed to toxic burn pits, and finally Biden’s promise to forgive up to $20,000 in student loans for those most in need.

🗳 Democrats are indeed working hard to bring solutions to the nation. Let’s take all the legislative wins to the bank this November for the midterms. Things are looking up, but we need all hands-on-deck to (re)elect Democrats up and down the ballot. To meet the enormous challenges ahead, we MUST hold the House and expand the Senate in November! If you haven’t registered to vote, file now at votefromabroad.org. You are also needed and welcome to participate with us in getting out the vote and organizing at this critical time. Let us know if you have any problems or questions at [email protected]

DA FINLAND ACTIVITIES

☎️ Democrats Abroad is conducting phone banking campaigns across the world to ensure all our members are getting registered. If you haven’t heard from us yet, we will continue making calls through October to help and guide all of you as you prepare for the November midterms.

🎓 We will also begin doing student outreach at high schools and colleges throughout the country and would be grateful for some volunteers!

HELP SPREAD THE WORD AND THE VOTE FOR THE MIDTERMS!

🙏 Please take some time today to make sure every American abroad in your networks has requested their 2022 ballot! You can:

-Create a personalized post on social media about voting from abroad: where, why, or how you vote. Be sure to include www.votefromabroad.org! 💻📣

-Share a DA and/or VFA post about overseas voting on your social media channels. 📱🌎

-Comment on relevant posts from DA Finland, fellow state parties, journalists, celebrities, etc. about the fact that U.S. citizens abroad can vote. Be sure to include www.votefromabroad.org! 📰⌨️

-Write to at least five contacts abroad and make sure they’ve requested their ballots – and encourage them to reach out to their networks as well! 🖋️✉️

-Help our CallHub campaign by volunteering for phone banking. Go to www.democratsabroad.org/phonebanking ☎️✅

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

PLEASE volunteer to phone bank for the 2022 election cycle. Training videos and live training sessions are available. It is easy, fun and gratifying…so sign up and let us know you’re available. Here is a link!

We'd love help with student voter outreach for the midterms at high schools with Americans kids turning 18 by November 8^th and at colleges and universities around Finland. Contact us at [email protected] for more info.

We are actively looking for assistance with DA Finland social media, Facebook and Instagram. Are you or your older kids Insta users and interested in homing your skills for the good of democracy?? Get involved and learn more about what we do! Please give us a holler.

You can also consider getting involved with caucuses here in Finland or globally. Democrats Abroad has a wide range of caucuses that are mobilizing to keep you informed and to give you a voice.   Please check out democratsabroad.org/caucuses to join these and many other enriching DA groups.

DA EVENTS GLOBALLY AND LOCALLY

There are wonderful events taking place in Democrats Abroad virtually around the world, from book clubs to prominent speakers, caucus events, and more. DA Germany is also hosting a terrific in person Octoberfest event for all members once again this year, after a two year covid hiatus. To RSVP for this and many other events, and for a complete list of global happenings, check out the link https://www.democratsabroad.org/events .

MONTHLY SOCIAL GATHERING

We will be holding Drinking Liberally on Tuesday, September 6th at 6:00 pm, at our usual Bruuveri Pub at Kamppi Center, Helsinki. Weather permitting, we will be seated on the terrace, but you never know this time of the year. Please join us to share a beer or just a chat about our fears, ideas, or bits of good news in these unsettled times. 

Message from the Chair

🔥 As droughts, floods, and fires continue to plague communities and countries worldwide, more naysayers are now listening. We can no longer ignore this obvious threat to planetary health. It will take a world unified and determined to act, with the U.S. leading by example, to meet this pivotal moment. Accordingly, Democrats and the Biden administration have passed the most extensive package in history to combat climate change with the Inflation Reduction Act, and Biden’s pledge to reduce emissions has been significantly advanced. The hard work of bridging the emissions gap, reaching net zero, and securing environmental justice for our vulnerable communities still, nonetheless, lies before us.

🍃 The last loathsome ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in June on W. Virginia vs. the Environmental Protection Agency also seems to have been mitigated propitiously in the text of the new Inflation Reduction Act. This SCOTUS decision stripped the EPA of much of its authority to fight climate change, citing a lack of congressional support to shift America away from burning fossil fuels. The text in the IRA, now passed in both houses, specifically amends the Clean Air Act, however, defining the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels as an air pollutant. The EPA may therefore have jurisdiction to regulate greenhouse gases and support the adaption of various alternative energies. The new legislation instructs federal agencies to curb or eliminate carbon dioxide and methane from power plants, automobiles, and oil wells under threat of federal fines. A sigh of relief!

🆘 Let’s take all the legislative wins to the bank this November for the midterms. Things are looking up, but we need all-hands-on-deck to (re)elect Democrats up and down the ballot, and we must continue pressuring the Biden administration to declare a National Climate Emergency.

Take Action! ✍️ Please sign the ECCC petition now. Please share it widely with your American friends, family, and colleagues in and outside the U.S. and on social media. It will be transmitted to the White House and Congress Our survival depends on the Biden Administration taking further action.

ECCC Statement on the Inflation Reduction Act

The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act by Democrats and signed into law today by President Biden is a historic achievement and true cause for celebration.  This legislation is a game changer; it will create jobs, lower costs, increase U.S. competitiveness, reduce air pollution and, of course, tackle the climate crisis. It will also significantly impact international climate action, especially heading to Egypt’s COP27 this November.

The landmark legislation includes an unprecedented investment of $369 billion in measures to promote renewable energy and mitigate climate change. It is expected to raise $739 billion in revenue from a new corporate minimum tax and improved tax enforcement, will reduce the federal deficit by $300 billion, and allow Medicare to negotiate the price of life saving drugs.

As another summer of devastating climate catastrophes rage globally, Democrats have risen to the moment with this legislation to bring hope to our planet. The U.S., the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, is now on its way to meeting their climate commitments and leading the world by example.

The new legislation will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing renewable and clean energy sources to replace fossil fuels, significantly lowering production costs of wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries for electric cars and incentivizing the private sector to employ wind, solar, and geo-thermally generated energy. The bill also provides tax incentives for private citizens to install solar panels and heat pumps in their homes and to buy electric vehicles.

In coordination with President Biden’s Infrastructure Bill, the construction of rapid charging stations will be ramped up across the entire country, in both rural and urban areas, where there is little penetration of electric vehicles.    

The Inflation Reduction Act allocates close to $50 billion to address environmental justice concerns, including $27 billion for a “green bank” to invest in public-private partnerships that cut emissions and $8 billion specifically directed to disadvantaged communities. $2 billion has also been allocated for further research in new technologies in fusion and high-energy physics. Most emissions reductions, predicted to drop to 40% of those in 2005 by 2030, will stem from the power and infrastructure sectors, with carbon capture expected to increase thirteen-fold.  

The Inflation Reduction Act is a stunning legislative achievement. We must continue the work, nonetheless, of bridging the remaining 10% gap in the 50% emissions commitments made by the Biden administration. This includes completely phasing out fossil fuels, blocking drilling on federal lands and waters, and fighting for action and environmental justice for the Black, brown, Indigenous and poorer communities who already bear the disproportionate brunt of this climate and environmental crisis.

We therefore continue to urge the President to declare a National Climate Emergency. Please join us and sign our ECCC National Climate Emergency Petition.

Critically, we can only advance by (re-)electing Democratic leaders in November. We urge you register and request your ballot at www.votefromabroad.org -- and make sure your friends and family, at home and broad, have a plan to vote as well.  

To keep up to date and active with Democrats Abroad efforts to tackle climate change, please join our Environment and Climate Crisis Council by clicking here.

Many thanks to all who participated in our 2021 Elections and AGM last night. A hearty congratulations to our new Executive Committee 2021-23; Dana Freling (Chair), Derek Sellin (Vice Chair), Elizabeth Peterson (Secretary), John Barry (Treasurer), Stephen Stalter (Counsel), Betsy Ettorre (Member-at-large),and Jocelyn Striker Lemmilä (Member-at-large). Full steam ahead!

DA Finland ramps up voter assistance for voter registration and ballot return. Biden/Harris swag arrived just in time for enthusiasts to support candidates and Democrats Abroad Finland!

Democrats Abroad Finland and VFA held a successful voter registration drive and information event in Helsinki. Lots of new and/or questioning voters also got to grab some newly arrived Biden/Harris swag! voters seeking help and grabbing some newly arrived Biden/Harris swag!