Here's what's happening in DA Austria in September —
Message from the Chair:
- When We Vote, We Win!
Events:
- Weekly Voter Registration Tables
- Debate Watch Party
- American Comedy Night – This Election Ain’t No Joke!
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A Night at the Palais – Fundraiser to Support DA Global
Inside Democrats Abroad:
- You're Invited! A Night at the Palais
- Recap of the Democratic National Convention
Issues and Actions:
- Take Action! Join the DAA Team
- Why you should request your ballot (annually!) through votefromabroad.org
- DA in the News
- In Your Neighborhood – Voter Registration Tables
Review:
- Americans Abroad for Harris / Walz
Our Executive Committee meetings are usually held on the second Thursday of the month. Our next meeting will be on Thursday, October 10, at 7:00 p.m. Members are welcome to join us at the meetings. Please contact Richard at [email protected] for the address and meeting link.
DAA is making a strong effort to include in our monthly newsletter all the information you need to stay up to date. By sending you fewer emails, we hope you will read those you receive. Thanks for reading!
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Message from the Chair
When We Vote, We Win
We're less than 2 months away from election day. The good news is that nearly 50% of our Democrats Abroad members in Austria have requested their ballot through votefromabroad.org. Ballots should be received by email on September 21. However, another 50% have not yet requested their ballot through VFA. What's holding some of us back? What can we do to help? We have teams of volunteers who can support you in the process, if needed. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
So much is at stake in this election. Our collective voice as Americans abroad can and will make a difference in electing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as the next President and Vice President, keeping the Senate, and winning the House.
I urge you to request your ballot if you haven't already done so. Visit votefromabroad.org, or email [email protected] if you require assistance.
When we vote, we win!
Richard
Chair, Democrats Abroad Austria
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Events:
Coming up in September –
Weekly Voter Registration Tables
When: Saturdays, September 7 – October
Time: 12 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where: Mariahilferstrasse 74 1070 Vienna
RSVP HERE
Debate Watch Party
When: Wednesday, September 11
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Beaver Brewing Company
Liechtensteinstrasse 69, 1090 Vienna
RSVP HERE
Comedy Night – This Election Ain’t No Joke
When: Sunday, September 15
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Comedy Pub
Kettenbrückengasse 7, 1050 Vienna
RSVP HERE
A Night at the Palais – Fundraiser to Benefit DA Global
When: Thursday, September 26
Time: 6:30 pm
Where: 1030 Vienna. Exact address will be provided with ticket purchase.
RSVP HERE
Oktoberfest with Democrats Abroad
When: Saturday, September 28
Time: 10 am – 2:15 pm
Where: Festhalle Schottenhamel, Munich
RSVP HERE
VP Debate Watch (Walz and Vance!) and “Fax Back Your Ballot” Party
When: Wednesday, October 2
Time: 6:00 p.m.; Debate screening begins at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Beaver Brewing Company
Liechtensteinstrasse 69, 1090 Vienna
RSVP to come
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Inside Democrats Abroad Austria:
You’re Invited: A Night at the Palais!
🌟 An Exclusive Evening with Ambassador Charles Adams & American Jazz Singer Margaret Carter! Thursday, September 26, 6:30 p.m. RSVP
Step back in time and join us for a unique fundraising event at the historic Thorsch-Ferstel Palais, built in 1873 and still in the care of the Thorsch/Ferstel family. Experience the magic of this historic venue, hear its incredible story, and enjoy an evening of politics, music, and community. Hors d’oeuvres, wine, and beer will be served.
Our special guests include:
- Ambassador Charles Adams, former U.S. Ambassador to Finland and member of the DNC Finance Committee, sharing insights into the path ahead.
- Margaret Carter, acclaimed American jazz singer, who will grace the evening with her unforgettable voice and style.
This is a one-of-a-kind event supporting Democrats Abroad Global as we work to mobilize voters for a Harris-Walz victory in November.
🌟 Don’t miss your chance to make a difference and enjoy a night to remember!
Get your tickets here: RSVP HERE
All proceeds directly benefit Democrats Abroad Global.
Democratic National Convention – Chicago August 19–22, 2024
DA Austria sent two former country committee chairs – Katie Solon, as EMEA DNC member, and Jen Rakow-Stepper, as PLEO Delegate – to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from August 19–23 as part of DA’s 23-member delegation.
It was a fantastic opportunity to represent Democrats Abroad to the thousands of delegates from across the US and tell them more about the important work DA does to get out the overseas vote. The DA delegation made itself known with matching Democrats Abroad t-shirts and straw hats. One delegate came up to me and commented how she’d never heard of DA before, but that we were all over the place, and she sure knew about us now!
After morning breakfast with speakers from various states and unions, the delegation would head off in shuttle buses to the McCormick Center for Caucus and Council meetings and networking. The shuttles were a great opportunity to talk with other delegates and share our work. In the evenings we’d board the shuttles again and head to the United Center to watch and participate in the broadcasted evening events.
The excitement in the arena was palpable. A roar of approval reverberated through the space when speakers such as Hilary Clinton, Michelle Obama, and of course our candidate, Kamala Harris, stepped on stage to speak.
Read more about DA’s delegation here
– Jen Rakow-Stepper, Regional Vice Chair for EMEA, DAAT Member-at-Large
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Issues and Actions:
Take Action! Join the DAA Team
Michelle Obama implored us all to Do Something to turn out the vote in the next critical months. Do you want to help? Contact Rich at [email protected]
Why you should request your ballot (annually!) through votefromabroad.org
Overseas voters should request their ballot EVERY YEAR to make sure their vote will be counted. Using the Federal Postcard Application (which can be found at votefromabroad.org) ensures the following rights which are protected under Federal law:
- You can receive your ballot electronically
- You’ll receive your ballot 45 days before the election
- You can use a backup ballot (FWAB)–which is important if your state requires your ballot to be mailed
- Your ballot MUST be counted, even in races that aren’t close.
So, what are you waiting for? Ballot drop day is September 21. If you have already requested your ballot, you should receive your ballot ELECTRONICALLY on September 21. If not, request your ballot TODAY.
DA in the News
Former Ambassador to Canada, Bill Heymann wrote an opinion piece How Americans living abroad could decide the 2024 election on MSNBC about the overseas vote and the importance of the work of Democrats Abroad in turning out the overseas vote.
In the end, Biden’s Electoral College win hinged on a few tens of thousands of votes. Biden won Georgia by 11,779 votes, and the state counted 18,475 votes from overseas. He won Arizona by 10,457, with more than 18,000 votes coming in from overseas. In total, almost 900,000 Americans living abroad voted successfully in 2020, significantly more than in 2016. But according to Reuters, even this number was just a fraction of total eligible overseas voters.
In Your Neighborhood – Voter Registration Tables
Many thanks to our voter registration volunteers who have been tabling on Mariahilferstrasse and at study abroad programs to help US citizens request their ballot for the the upcoming election. We couldn't do it without you!
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Review:
Americans Abroad for Harris / Walz
On Thursday, September 7, Democrats Abroad held a marathon star-studded Zoom rally for the Harris-Walz campaign – it lasted 5 hours and thousands of people from around the world attended.
Daily blogger, Robert Hubbell wrote about it in his substack letter the following morning:
“…On Thursday, I appeared at a fundraiser by Democrats Abroad for Harris-Walz. Before discussing the fundraiser, I want to highlight the mission of Democrats Abroad: to ensure that Americans living abroad register, request their ballots, and vote. Millions of Americans living abroad are eligible to vote. In the 2020 presidential election, votes cast by Americans living abroad exceeded Joe Biden’s margin of victory in several states! Americans abroad could provide the winning margin in 2024—just as they did in 2020.
If you know someone living, studying, or visiting abroad, you must reach out to them and urge them to visit www.votefromabroad.org to ensure that they are registered to vote as an American citizen living abroad and have requested their ballots.
The event hosted by Democrats Abroad was amazing. Thousands of volunteers attended the event, and dozens of speakers were present, including Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Colin Allred, Ruben Gallego, Alexander Vindman, Eric Holder, Jane Fonda, Kyra Sedgewick, Cory Booker, Ed Markey, Maxwell Frost, Beto O’Rourke, David Hogg, Politics Girl, Simon Rosenberg, Jessica Craven, Scott Dworkin, me, and many others.
*Most impressively, we were joined by ‘house parties’ of American voters and activists worldwide. Hearing them describe their love and pride for America was touching and inspiring.*
*The energy was infectious! I have rarely felt more motivated and hopeful after an online event. The execution of the complicated event was flawless—a good sign in an election where organizational skills and professionalism are at a premium.*
In an election where some states may be won or lost by a few thousand votes, Democrats Abroad is determined to turn out tens or hundreds of thousands of new voters—a secret weapon in a grassroots movement that is itself a secret weapon….”