Spring has sprung, and there any many new and exciting developments happening with Democrats Abroad Germany as we gear up for the summer season, which will be filled not only with the first Democratic National Committee primary debates (June 26-27) in Miami, but also plenty of chances to get involved locally with DA Germany.

In an effort to discuss the structure and goals of our organization as well as volunteer opportunities as we head towards 2020, newly elected DA Germany Chair Candice Kerestan (Munich) and Vice Chair Kenton Barnes (Braunschweig) will be holding an online “Meet and Greet” on May 4^th, 2019, from 1:30-3:30pm. All DA Germany members are warmly invited to attend. A computer/tablet with an internet connection and a working microphone are necessary to actively participate. To receive log-in information, please RSVP.  

Don’t want to wait until then to help out or learn more about DA Germany? Here’s a quick overview of how you can get involved now as well as some updates on what’s been happening with DA both in Germany and internationally:

Phone banking: Help Call DA Virginia Voters to Help Pass the ERA!

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first introduced in 1923. Unfortunately, although it finally passed in the U.S. House and Senate 47 years ago (March 22^nd, 1972), it has still not been ratified by the necessary 38 states. It had only 35 when it “expired” in 1982. However, based on the 27^th Amendment being ratified 203 years after it was submitted to the states, it has been deemed that the deadline was not valid. Nevada ratified the ERA in 2017 and Illinois in 2018 – meaning we only need ONE more state to ratify it for it to be written into the U.S. Constitution. 

Just a few weeks ago, Republicans stopped the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the Virginia Legislature by a single vote! We were devastated, but not defeated!

DA has just set up new global phone banking campaigns to reach out to DA voters in Virginia where the 2019 state elections will decide the majority in both the House of Delegates and the VA State Senate. Let’s take a majority in the VA legislature and ratify the ERA!

Sign up here to be on the phone banking team and join the campaign for Virginia.

Looking for more information on the ERA? Here’s a three-minute video on Why We Need an Equal Rights Amendment. One of the best articles explaining the history and current status was in last month’s Cosmopolitan article “So Here’s Something...Women Don’t Actually Have Equal Rights Under the Constitution.” You can also watch the “Legalize Equality” video, the 30-minute must-see video on ERA – just RSVP here to receive the link. Also please check out www.democratsabroad.org/era for the latest status along with ways ALL members of DA can help no matter where you vote or live. We need your help.

DA Germany Caucus Leadership

DA Germany is looking for members interested in working with a specific set of policy issues, which is facilitated through the Democrats Abroad caucus structure. Current open positions include Chair of the LGBTQ+ Caucus, Chair of the Progressive Caucus, Chair of the Black Caucus, and Chair of the Youth Caucus (35 and under). For a description of our caucus and chair responsibilities, please visit this page.   

Democrats Abroad Germany is looking for Caucus Leaders for the following Caucuses:

• LGBT Caucus
• Progressive Caucus
  
• Black Caucus
  
• Youth Caucus

General job description for all positions:

• Disseminating information to members
• Coordinating caucus-related events in Germany
• Periodically report to the global caucus steering committee
• Finding ways to add diversity to non-caucus events
• Establishing working committees on legislative or policy issues
• Running and attending meetings
• Other duties as required

Each caucus will be represented by a Chair who is responsive to both members and any requests for action or information from the DAG Executive Committee. Additional positions may be established depending upon interest within the caucus. The Caucus Chair will be appointed by the DAG Chair with the consultation of the Executive Committee for a term of two years. The Chair may be removed by the DAG Executive Committee at any time for conduct contrary to the interests of the caucus or DAG.

DA Germany's former and current ExCom members at their first meeting on 24 February at the Heidelberg Center for American Studies.

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) took place from 22-24 February 2019 at the Heidelberg Center for American Studies. Vielen Dank Heidelberg Chapter for a wonderful weekend and a well planned and executed event. Thanks to everyone who attended in person or on WebEx.

Check out the photos from each day and videos from our 2019 AGM

On Saturday, we successfully held our ExCom Elections. Here are the results:

Congratulations to everyone and we look forward to working with you to achieve our agenda and get out the vote for Democrats!  

See the complete election results and the other members of our ExCom

We honor and thank Owen Jappen and Hilary Bown for their immense service and dedication to Democrats Abroad. We're so grateful for everything they have done to make us successful in the past 2 years.

Sound the fanfare! It's with great pleasure that we announce our 2019/2020 Executive Committee (ExCom). Congratulations to everyone. 

Rebekah Rollo, Germany Legal Counsel

The statements from pre-announced candidate's for DA Germany's Executive Committee 2019 election are posted via this Google Sheet, for optimal reader interface.

Floor nominations during the Annual General Meeting in Heidelberg will also be possible, such candidate will simply not be able to make a written statement ahead of the meeting itself. Please contact dag-elections@democratsabroad.org with any questions.

Call for Nominations for

Positions on the Executive Committee

"It’s up to us!"

President Obama left us with this message in his farewell address. Every day since Nov. 8 (2016), we are seeing more clearly the challenges and opportunities we will have. Throughout the Trump presidency we will need to heed Obama’s call to “show up, dive in and stay at it."

Democrats Abroad Germany (DAG), the official arm of the Democrat Party for U.S. citizens living in Germany, is united in our support of environmental protections, policy grounded in scientific inquiry, women's rights, LGBTQ equality, the fundamental reform of our criminal justice, immigration, and education systems, and universal access to health care, child care, and maternity leave - among other issues.

With 12 chapters across Germany, as well as precinct groups in medium-sized cities which cooperate with our larger chapters, DAG's Country Committee is the third largest DA committee in the world, and our leaders work hard to represent and connect DAG's diverse and active members.

Democrats Abroad Germany will elect a new Executive Committee (ExCom), the leadership of DAG. The ExCom is elected for a two-year term and includes five officer positions:

Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, DPCA Voting Representative (6-7 positions)

and six at-large project coordinators:

Events & Fundraising Coordinator, GOTV (Get Out The Vote) Coordinator, Chapter Development Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, Media Contact, Database & IT Coordinator

to be elected at the

2019 DA-Germany Annual General Meeting

In Heidelberg on the weekend of February 22nd

We seek members motivated to help Democrats win races at all levels of our political process for the 2020 U.S. General Elections.
Join the leadership of DAG to do your part for Democrats activism to counter the policy being put in place by the new Republican Administration and to promote the Democratic message.
As part of the ExCom you will also build experience, broaden your network, have fun and meet great people! There will be plenty of opportunity and demand.

We provide you with job descriptions, to find the fitting ExCom position for you.

Contact the Nominations and Elections Committee if you have any questions and to submit your candidate statement to DAG-Elections@democratsabroad.org

Applications must be received 4 weeks days before the election, i.e. Jan 25th. A candidate statement may be added, though, the earlier the better, as we want to send out a link to the candidate statements three weeks before the election.

Floor nominations are permitted at the meeting, but these candidates wouldn't benefit from candidate statements.

Kind regards,

The Nominations and Elections Committee 2019

DAG-Elections@DemocratsAbroad.org

As we slide into 2019, let’s look back for a moment at the 2018 midterm election. We won control of the House and had a net gain of more than 40 seats. Democrats at all levels of government did well in the midterm elections, we had a net gain of 308 seats in the 86 state legislative chambers in elections on November 6, 2018. Republicans lost 296 seats in the elections, and third-party and independent candidates lost 14 seats. 

The election also brought a wave of diversity into American governments. A total of 116 women were elected to Congress during the 2018 midterms, which serves as a significant jump from the 89 women who were elected in 2016. Add it to the number of women in the Senate still serving out terms, and that means 2019 will see a total of 126 women in the 116th Congress.  Some historic firsts in the 2018 midterm election:

• Kansas elected Sharice Davids, the state’s first lesbian House member, and one of the country’s first two Native American House members.
• Arizona and Tennessee elected their first female senators.
• Massachusetts voters elected Ayanna Pressley, who will be the first black congresswoman from the state.
• Coloradans elected Jared Polis, who will be the first openly gay male governor in the U.S.
• Michigan elected Rashida Tlaib, and Minnesota elected Ilhan Omar, making them the first two Muslim women in Congress.

Thank you for voting! We couldn’t have done it without you. Voter turnout in this election was estimated to be 50.3%, the highest turnout in a U.S. midterm election since 1914.

We also won 17 Governors races. There will be 14 states that have a Democratic trifecta (governor, house and senate) control. Colorado, Illinois, Maine, New Mexico, New York, and Nevada join Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, California, Washington and Oregon in having a Democratic trifecta control, making 14 states or 34.4% of the US population.

Take this short survey and let us know about your voting experience. Why it matters: In order for us to do everything we can to make it easier for all Americans to vote from abroad, we need to understand your 2018 voting experience — what problems you encountered, what worked well, and even if you weren’t able to vote.  

It's Time to March Again!

The 2017 Women’s March inspired hundreds of women to run, millions more to vote, and dozens to win elected office. The 2019 Women’s March marks two years of resistance to the Trump presidency, two years of training new activists, and two years of building power. And this time, we're coming back with an agenda.

Please join us on Saturday, January 19, 2019. Democrats Abroad is marching in several locations. Find one near you. Please RSVP so we know how many people to expect.

It's that time again. Every two years we elect a new Executive Committee (ExCom). The people elected are the leaders of Democrats Abroad Germany (DAG) and includes several officers and six at-large project coordinators. Please look at the job descriptions below and if you are interested in running for a position or have any questions about the positions, please contact the Nominations and Elections Committee (NEC) at dag-elections@democratsabroad.org. All eligible members may self-nominate or be nominated for all positions filled by elections.

The election will be held on 23 February 2019 in Heidelberg at our Annual General Meeting (AGM). Get more information about the AGM and RSVP.

As amended on December 17, 2018

The Executive Committee of Democrats Abroad Germany has developed and adopted the following rules, which shall apply to ALL chapter elections.

1. Position

2. Term of office.
1. A Chapter Chair’s term of office shall begin at the time of his or her election and shall end upon the election of a new Chapter Chair or the removal or resignation of such Chapter Chair in accordance with the bylaws of DAG.
2. Subject to section 2c below, no person may serve three full terms consecutively. Any term of office of more than 15 months shall be deemed to be a full term.
3. In the event that a chapter cannot obtain a qualifying replacement for a Chapter Chair who has served two consecutive full terms, a third term may be authorized by a 2/3 vote of the DAG Executive Committee.

3. Dates of Election. Elections for Chapter Chair shall be held during the first calendar quarter of each odd numbered year, but in no case later than 7 days prior to the DAG Annual General Meeting for such odd-numbered year.

4. Eligibility to serve as chapter chair. No person may be elected to the position of Chapter Chair who:
1. at the time of the election has been a registered member of the relevant chapter (as determined by the official DAG membership database as of the date of the election) for fewer than 28 days or
2. has been removed for cause from an elected position within DAG during the 24-month period preceding the election date and has not obtained the approval of a majority of the DAG Executive Committee for his or her candidacy.

5. Election procedures.
1. Robert’s Rules of Order: Elections shall be held in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order and these rules. These rules shall take precedence over Robert’s Rules of Order in any and all cases of conflict.
2. Announcement of Election:
1. The current Chapter Chair (or, in the absence of a Chapter Chair for a chapter, the Chair of DAG) shall via email notify the membership of the relevant chapter (as determined by the official DAG membership database for such chapter as of the date of such notice) of the election date no earlier than 60 and no later than 28 days in advance.
2. The announcement will attach a copy of these rules.
3. The announcement will include the location, directions to the location, and the date and time of the election.
4. The location of the election shall be a place reasonably accessible to the members of the relevant chapter.
5. If an election is held on a weekday, the election process shall not begin before 1930 or later than 2100 (7:30/9:00 pm) that day. If an election is held on a Saturday or a Sunday, the election may not begin before 1300 or later than 2100 (1:00/9:00 pm).
3. Nominations.
1. Any member of the relevant chapter may be nominated or may self-nominate without a second for the position of Chapter Chair so long as the nomination or self-nomination is made no later than 14 days prior to the election date. Nominations may also be made from the floor at the election, if supported by a second from among the membership. Persons nominated must agree to the nomination to be an eligible candidate. Only persons nominated in accordance with the procedure set out above shall be eligible for election.
2. Nominations or self-nominations made 14 days or more prior to the election shall be communicated by the DAG Secretary or Chapter Chair to the entire membership of the relevant chapter no later than 10 days prior to the election in the same manner as the election announcement and may be accompanied by a statement of no more than 250 words supporting the candidacy. Alternatively, a link to a statement posted on the official Democrats Abroad website may be provided. In all cases the nominated person must approve the candidate statement.
3. The notification of nomination and the candidate statement do not have to be included in the same communication, but if they are not, the message that does not contain the candidate statement may only state the name of the individual and the fact that he or she has been nominated for the position.
4. Campaigns.
1. Individual campaigns for the position of Chapter Chair are allowed and encouraged, but in no circumstance may the chapter membership be contacted using the official DAG membership database for such chapter except for the nomination notices and candidate statements set out in section 5.c. above.
2. Personal information from the official DAG membership database, including the names, email addresses, physical addresses, phone/fax/cell phone numbers or other contact details of any member of the chapter, shall not be disclosed to any candidate or any supporter of a candidate and shall be subject to all the restrictions on the use of the membership database as have been established in the bylaws or by the DAG Executive Committee.
3. Candidates may distribute flyers or campaign literature at meetings of the relevant chapter without restriction so long as the conduct of the meeting itself is not interrupted or disturbed.
   
5. Eligible Voters. All qualified members of a chapter shall be entitled to vote. Qualified individuals may join DA on the day of the election.
1. Voters are presumed qualified to participate in the election if (1) they have joined DAG before arriving at the voting center or (2) at the voting center they join DAG and establish their identity by objective documentary evidence (including passport, residence card, military or student ID, etc.). Persons who appear on the membership rolls of their DAG chapter do not need to provide any form of identification (ID) to be qualified to vote.
2. Persons are not qualified to vote if it can be established by positive proof that: (1) the person is not a U.S. citizen, (2) is not a member of Democrats Abroad, and/or (3) is a member of a Country Committee of Democrats Abroad or DAG Chapter other than the one in which the voter is seeking to participate.
3. Any prospective voter who is deemed unqualified to vote under these criteria may still cast a provisional ballot.
6. Election Day procedures.
1. All elections shall take place at the time, date and place specified in the election notice distributed pursuant to section 5.b. above. The current chapter chair shall ensure that adequate election materials are available, e.g. ballots, pens, displayable sheets for candidate names, etc.
2. A minimum of 12 members present and voting shall be required to hold an election if there is more than one candidate for Chapter Chair. Only members present at the meeting may vote; no proxies or prior/later balloting shall be allowed. If an election is held in the absence of the necessary quorum but otherwise in accordance with these rules, the Chapter Chair so elected may apply to the DAG Executive Committee for certification of the election results. As long as no member of the relevant chapter has challenged the election, the DAG Executive Committee by a 2/3 vote may certify the results of such election, in which case the election shall be deemed valid as if it had been held in the presence of a quorum.
3. If the current Chapter Chair is a candidate, the election meeting shall be temporarily chaired by an individual who is not a candidate or acting for a candidate (the “Temporary Chair”). The Temporary Chair shall be nominated by the current Chapter Chair and serve if a majority of those present approve by voice vote or hand count.
4. The Chapter Chair (or Temporary Chair, as the case may be) shall call for any nominations, including self-nominations, from the floor; however, as stated above in Rule 5(c)(1), a second from among the members present and voting must be obtained prior to the name being added to the list of eligible candidates. Votes for write-in candidates shall be invalid and shall not be counted.
5. Prior to any vote being taken, each candidate shall be allowed to address the chapter for ten minutes on her/his candidacy. A candidate not present may be represented by another member of the chapter, but that member must have been designated by the candidate, in writing/email or by telephone, prior to the election meeting and verifiable at the time of the meeting. No seconding speeches shall be allowed. The order of speeches shall be determined by lot.
6. The Chapter Chair (or Temporary Chair, as the case may be) shall name two election monitors, who shall ensure that only eligible voters obtain ballots and shall be responsible for counting all ballots. No monitor may be a candidate or a person representing a candidate. Each candidate shall be allowed to name one witness (other than himself or herself) to the counting of ballots.
7. Elections shall be conducted by written ballot with the names of all candidates who have been nominated prior to the meeting as well as a space for candidates nominated from the floor.
8. A majority vote (that is, 50% plus 1 of the members present and voting) shall be required for election. If, after counting all ballots, no majority exists, the person with the lowest number of votes shall be disqualified and a new round of balloting conducted. This process shall continue until a candidate receives a majority of the ballots cast.
9. If there is only one candidate for Chapter Chair at the time of the vote, a voice vote may be conducted, and no paper ballots will be necessary.
10. The results of each ballot shall be announced by the election monitors; once a candidate has received a majority of the votes cast, the winner shall be announced by the Chapter Chair (or Temporary Chair, as the case may be). The results shall be certified by the signature of the Chapter Chair (or Temporary Chair, as the case may be) and the two election monitors and communicated to the Chair, or in the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair, of DAG within 24 hours.
11. Upon the announcement of the election winner, the current Chapter Chair shall turn over conduct of the meeting to the new Chapter Chair.
12. For all contested elections, all ballots shall be retained by the Temporary Chair and made available in case of a challenge to the election.

6. Challenge to Election Results. Any challenge to the announced election results must be made by two members present and voting and the reasons for the challenge must be communicated to the Chair or Vice Chair of DAG within 72 hours of the election. The DAG Chair or Vice Chair shall investigate the challenge and report to the Executive Committee. The DAG Executive Committee shall consider the report of the DAG Chair or Vice Chair, as the case may be, and, by majority vote without the current Chapter Chair of the affected chapter voting, shall determine whether the result shall stand, someone other than the announced winner be declared the winner, or a new election be held. If a new election is mandated, the DAG Executive Committee may name an observer for the conduct of the new election. The determination of the DAG Executive Committee on any challenge shall be final. The DAG Executive Committee by a 2/3 vote may annul any election where, in its judgment, improper electoral activity has occurred. This shall include, but not be limited to, the infiltration of a chapter by an outside group that the Executive Committee, in its judgment, believes does not support the DNC as per the DNC bylaws.

7. DAG Bylaws. In the event of any conflict between these rules and the DAG bylaws (not including these rules), the DAG bylaws shall prevail. Any capitalized terms used but not defined in these rules shall have the meanings assigned to them in the DAG bylaws.

16 December 2006
Amended, 17 December 2018