Over the last year, the Alicante chapter was extremely busy getting out the vote. From global phone banking to our “Why I Vote” member-stories, we kept the candle burning at both ends. We assembled  Our Voices, Our Future media platforms, to reach out to younger generations. Both campaigns were used to create digital ads to bolster membership and get out the vote. Our members donated to Democrats Abroad and to campaigns across the US.

On June 12, 2021 the Alicante chapter elected a new executive committee formed by Daniel Garcia (chair), Diane Longo (vice chair), Tammy Teschner (secretary), and Brett Spector (treasurer) [click to expand]. The new committee will partner with DA Global to implement our organization’s worldwide goals and objectives. The committee is excited to move forward and determined to increase membership. We plan to create and/or assist with future get-out-the-vote campaigns! The goal for next year’s midterm election is to improve our Democratic majority in the House and Senate, in order to pass meaningful legislation and support the Biden–Harris administration.

IT'S TIME FOR YOUR 2021 DA ALICANTE CHAPTER ELECTION AND

 ANNUAL MEETING

It’s time to vote for your DA Alicante (DAA) 2021-2023 Executive Committee!  Voting for your leadership here is just as important as in the US.  Our chapter depends on the participation of our members and we need your vote! 

The candidates running for office understand how important our chapter is for getting out the vote, keeping you informed and engaged!  They also know that every vote counts in the US and abroad!  Midterms are around the corner and we need to elect chapter officials that can adapt easily and hit the ground running.   As a chapter we need to help and support DA Spain, DA Global, the DNC and the Biden-Harris administration!   The Democratic party depends on political engagement of our members as we renew our group for the continuous fight for a better USA.

To learn more about the candidates, “Click Here” to see their Bios.

Check your email for your ballot. You have until June 12, 2021 at 11AM to vote. If you are having difficulty with your ballot or questions, please send an email to [email protected] Your Nomination and Election Committee will help you!

The results of the election, a chapter update, a chance to meet your new DA Spain Chair and newly elected Executive Committee members will be held at 1 PM, June 12, 2021 at our Annual General Meeting.  We are required to have a minimum of 25 members to have a quorum.  Keep engaged and please join us!

“RSVP Here" to attend the Annual General Meeting.  If you are unable to attend, please submit a proxy for another member to represent you. The proxy authorization is on your ballot.

The Nomination and Election Committee would like to thank you for your participation!  We look forward to electing an Executive Committee that will bring new leadership and ideas to the DA Alicante chapter.

Best regards, 

DA Alicante Nomination and Election Committee,

Winnie Birkeland Harris
Robin Kaplan
Mary Elms

2020 was a very good year for Democrats!  Now with the Biden-Harris administration and the majority in Congress we are now able to pass meaningful Democratic legislation that will benefit all Americans.  Beginning with the American Rescue Plan that will help millions of Americans and bolster the economy. As we all know we must continue to enact legislation that puts the US on solid ground at home and abroad.  In order to do this, we all must get involved and help the Biden-Harris team now and in the future. 

Democrats Abroad is a 100% volunteer-run organization, and we need you to help keep the gears turning for the next two years as we build up to a crucial midterm election – which Democrats cannot afford to lose – in 2022.

First, we need to begin with our own DA Alicante chapter election which will be held on June 12, 2021 at 1:00 PM (CET). 

The DA Alicante Nomination and Election Committee (NEC) is encouraging you to consider running for office; it’s a great way to get involved in democracy, meet new people and, most importantly, contribute to the Biden-Harris administration’s success by building support among Americans in Spain.

Any DA Alicante member can run for office! All positions will be open; Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.

The deadline for submission of your candidacy is midnight May 26, 2021 (CET)

Please, Click Here to fill out Candidate Application

You are welcome to nominate yourself and fill out the Candidacy Application. You can also nominate someone else; the nomination needs a second by another member, either in the same email or a follow-up email from the seconding member. The Nominations and Elections Committee will confirm that the member wishes to run. Nominations can be made by email to [email protected] and must be submitted by midnight Saturday, May 26, 2021. The Nomination and Election Committee may also nominate candidates.

The main duties of each officer are as follows:

Chair – The candidate should be a team player who works with the DAS Executive Committee, preside over chapter meetings, and represent the Alicante Chapter on the DA Spain Ex Com. Events in the next term, include: chapter meetings, special events, activities and subcommittees related to US elections and including coordination of the Get Out The Vote effort.

Vice Chair– An activist who can support the Chair and the DAS Executive Committee in the organization of chapter meetings and events; preside over chapter meetings and attend DA Spain Ex Com meetings in the Chair's absence.

Secretary – A highly organized individual with good writing and computer skills, who can maintain an up-to-date list of chapter members, take minutes at chapter meetings, post them on the website, and send out notices of meetings and special events.

Treasurer – Responsible management of the Chapter's finances, keeping accounts of chapter monies collected and spent; storing reserve funds; assisting in fundraising and presenting a report at chapter meetings.

If you have and questions, please contact the Nomination & Election Committee at: [email protected]

DA Alicante Nomination and Election Committee: Winnie Birkeland Harris, Robin Kaplan and Mary Elms

On March 8, 2021 DA Alicante was proud to host our 1st International Women's Day event.

As Americans living abroad in beautiful Spain, we decided that it was important to find out the past and current plight and struggles of Spanish women.  An amazing panel with diversified backgrounds in education, law, arts and culture, advertisement, activism, journalism, producers, directors, writers, artist, actors, interpreters, housing development, union organizer and administrators participated.

Our goal was to create an international bond of friendship and sisterhood!

The VIDEO of this wonderful event has been reproduced into two parts! Please take some time to listen, learn and possibly lend a helping hand to our Spanish friends.

* Video Length (Part 1): 1 hour 14 minutes
* Video Length (Part 2): 28 minutes

Part 2 of our March 8, 2021 International Women's Day event brings to the forefront some of the struggles of women not only in Spain but all over the world. Goya award winning screenwriter and director Ana Martinez Álvarez shared her short film, Pantalones, on women’s inequality through the discriminatory and sexual harassment practices that many women have faced over their careers. In Spain this 4-minute film was rated for all audiences which would be equivalent to a PG rating in the US. With that said, there are graphic scenes and viewer discretion is advised.

In honor of International Women's Day Democrats Abroad Alicante decided to learn more about about the lives of our Spanish sisters. We want to raise awareness to the issues that they face in their every day lives. As Americans living in Spain we thought what better way to find out but to ask!  

DAA has assembled an amazing group of women for an online round table discussion. Our panelists come from diverse backgrounds as educators, lawyers, advertising executives, activists, journalists, producers, directors, writers, artists, actors, interpreters, housing developers, union organizers and administrators. 

We may come with different personal histories, but we share many things in common. Our goal is to reach out and create an international bond of friendship and sisterhood! We welcome allies of all genders. 

Please join us to listen, learn, and raise a glass in celebration of International Women's Day!

Monday, March 8, 2021 from 4:30-6:30pm
Link: http://zoom.us/j/9984053719
Meeting ID: 998 405 3719

Founded in January 2020, Democrats Abroad Alicante represents an all-inclusive organization that supports the rights of all US citizens who live abroad. DA Global, DA Spain and the Alicante chapter strive to provide our members with up-to-date voting information, local and national Democrats Abroad events, and new or modified legislation that not only affects us as we live abroad but to our family and friends in the US!   We do this through our emails, Facebook Groups and soon to be Alicante chapter website.

Over the 2020 election cycle Democrats Abroad had over 18,000 volunteers from across the globe that were critical in the victory to win back the presidency, regain the Senate and retain the House majority.  DA Alicante played its role in that effort.

Our chapter members volunteered in many of the DA Global and DA Spain efforts that helped swing the election. To name a few…..

Ø  We had the largest Spain phone banking team that helped make 300,000+ calls to DA Global members

Ø  Developed “Why I Vote” stories that were part of a digital ad campaign targeted across the EU that increased voter registration, ballot request and returns

Ø  Participated in the GOTV military campaign in Roto Spain

Ø  Developed and continue to maintain the Our Voices, Our Future youth and issue based campaign through various social media platforms to energize and give a voice to those who live abroad

Ø  Developed and executed a banner ad media strategy that reached 25 major news networks across the world that yielded record breaking voter membership, voter registration, ballot request and returns.

Ø  Assisted in stateside races and donated to campaigns

Community Engagement

Due to Covid 19 there are still no in-person activities.  We are currently developing new online events that we hope will interest you.  In addition, we keep our members up to date on any DA Global or DA Spain (national) events. 

We are always looking for new and interesting ideas to engage our members!  If you have any ideas please don’t hesitate to let us know. 

We hope in the near future to start having some fun in-person events. We are looking forward to meeting all of our members at these events.

2022 Midterm Elections

The closer we get to these elections, the more we will be looking for volunteers. We hope you will help so that Democrats can maintain or increase their majorities in the House and Senate. 

Your DAA Executive Committee

Mary Elms, Chair

Daniel Garcia, Vice Chair

Brett Specter, Secretary

Robin Kaplan, Treasurer

Questions

Feel free to contact us anytime at: [email protected] 

If you haven’t done so, please join our Facebook group at: www.facebook.com/groups/DemocratsAbroadAlicante

Sincerely, your DAA Executive Committee