The next Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Regional Meeting will be on Sunday, 16 May 2021 and is scheduled to start at 3:00 AM EDT during a recess of the 2021 DPCA Global Meeting. You can check your local time HERE. 

We will have only one item of business on the agenda: the election of the EMEA Regional Vice Chair for the 2021-2023 term.  A list of declared candidates and their statements can be found here.

All members are welcome to attend the EMEA Regional Meeting.  Please note that only Country Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs are able to vote.  

Chairs and Vice Chairs will be sent a separate registration form in late April to register their intent to attend; this list will be used as the basis for quorum. Please note an RSVP on this event page does not register Chairs and Vice Chairs for the purposes of quorum.

A link to the online meeting will be sent to all who RSVP at least one week before the meeting.

For June, we will be reading The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee. From Amazon:

One of today’s most insightful and influential thinkers offers a powerful exploration of inequality and the lesson that generations of Americans have failed to learn: Racism has a cost for everyone—not just for people of color.

Please join us even if you haven't read the book!

Additional information about this (and future) event(s) can be found here.

The June meeting will be held via Zoom. If you are not already on the Geneva Book Club mailing list, please send Sam an email letting him know you would like to be included.

Add to your Google Calendar.

We want YOU to join our Diversity Team! Help contribute to discussion on what events and activities you would like to see and how you would like to have the Diversity Team structured.

Add to your Google Calendar.

The Youth Caucus is looking for new members to build our exciting team and events! Meet our team, join our team, or figure out how to act in our next team meet!

Add to your Google Calendar.

Join in this call to hear what the Democrats Abroad Taxation Tax Force has been up to and how we all can help to push for rational tax reform policy.

Add to your Google Calendar.

RESOLUTION BY THE DPCA EXCOM

March 26, 2021

1. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has infected nearly 120 million people and caused over 2.6 million deaths worldwide, and
   
   
2. Whereas many Americans live in nations which may not readily be able to provide vaccinations to all people within their boundaries or which may limit vaccine availability based on nationality, cost or other factors, thereby resulting in many Americans living overseas remaining unvaccinated, and
   
   
3. Whereas this situation may also reduce the ability of American citizens to travel freely to the United States on business or due to family emergencies,
   
   
4. Whereas protection for Americans is linked to immunizations worldwide to end the spread and mutation of the COVID-19 virus, 
   
   
5. Therefore Democrats Abroad calls on President Biden and Congress to include all Americans in his commitment, regardless of where they reside, and to empower and direct the Departments of State and of Health and Human Services to cooperate with the CDC, vaccine manufacturers, and public health authorities worldwide to provide, or ensure the availability of, vaccinations for all Americans abroad, and to support the global availability of adequate vaccine supplies as a critical step in ending the pandemic worldwide.
   
   
6. Therefore, the DPCA ExCom commits volunteer resources and our organization to making the appropriate authorities in the US government aware of the pressing needs for this action, and to keep our members informed of our actions.

This year the DACH Women’s Caucus will focus on three areas:

1. Opportunity alerts for members to contact lawmakers in support of legislation for women’s rights and equal opportunity. For example, in March the House removed the deadline for ERA passage and 12 states still need to ratify the bill.
2. Strengthening our sisterhood by aligning with initiatives driven by the DA Global Women’s Caucus as well as women’s organizations such as Supermajority and Emerge.
3. Informing ourselves about issues critical to women’s well-being (equal pay, violence against women, childcare, reproductive health, climate action).

If you are interested in getting involved or learning more, please contact Alissa Reindel and Victoria Pao at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you.

Save the date for a Youth Action Team event about voter responsibility! Here are some questions to think about.

Do citizens have any responsibilities in the maintenance of their democracies? (with a focus on US Expats)

1. What does it take to be a good citizen?
2. Is voting worth the bother (especially for someone who doesn’t even live in the US)?
3. Is voting a right or a responsibility?
4. Do we expats have any responsibilities to our host country?

Add to your Google Calendar.

The Zurich chapter held their AGM on April 14 and elected a new slate of leaders:

The Geneva chapter held their AGM on April 25 and elected a new slate of leaders:

The Basel chapter held their AGM on April 18 and elected a new slate of leaders:

DA Switzerland has new leaders at the country and chapter levels and we want to meet you!

Hikes are being arranged for Sunday, May 2, in:

• Zurich

and for Saturday, May 8, in:

• Basel (rescheduled from May 1)
• Geneva (rescheduled from May 1)
• Lugano (rescheduled from May 1)

In line with our Diversity & Inclusion goals, we aim to have these hikes be:

• Easy for people with disabilities, easy for people of all ages, easy for parents with strollers, etc.
• Easy to get to - a route which doesn’t require too much of a journey, also so that everyone can join without a extra train ticket or such. It should be free for all.
• Within COVID regulations; masks should be worn and we will have a contact tracing form available.

There will be a small break during the hike so that we can rest and also enjoy each other's company safely.

Click through the event links above for complete details.

You can join our DACH Hiking Group on WhatsApp to connect with other attendees and discuss alternative plans in the event of rain.

The Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA) 2021 Global Meeting will take place the weekend of May 14-16, online. During this meeting, DPCA voting representatives elected at the county committee level (5 from Switzerland) will elect the Global Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Legal Council.

The Global Executive Committee (ExCom) will lead Democrats Abroad for the next two years, giving guidance and support to the leaders and volunteers around the world.

DA Switzerland wants to be sure that we know the candidates and can make informed votes. We wanted our members to have the opportunity to hear from these candidates. We also welcomed DPCA voting representatives from other country committees to attend and ask questions.

This Zoom session was recorded and can be viewed on YouTube:

PowerPoint

Chat transcript

The 2021 Annual Democrats Abroad Global Meeting will be fully virtual this year. The meeting will be held across the weekend of May 14 to 16.

Day One - Global reports, By-laws, Resolutions

Check-in
May 14 9:00PM EDT / May 15 3:00AM CET / May 15 10:00AM Tokyo / May 15 1:00AM UTC

Meeting start
May 14 9:30PM EDT / May 15 3:30AM CET / May 15 10:30AM Tokyo / May 15 1:30AM UTC

Day Two - Global elections, 2022 Meeting location

Check-in
May 15 10:00PM EDT / May 16 4:00AM CET / May 16 11:00AM Tokyo / May 16 2:00AM UTC

Meeting start
May 15 10:30PM EDT / May 16 4:30AM CET / May 16 11:30AM Tokyo / May 16 2:30AM UTC

Democrats Abroad Global Meetings are possible thanks to participant donations. You will be redirected to the donation page after you RSVP.

** If you are not logged into your Nation Builder account, please make sure you enter your Nation Builder email for the RSVP.

Links to the meetings will be emailed to all RSVPers during the week of May 10th. The tentative agenda is here. 

Click Here to donate in support of the Global Meeting and DA's 2021 activities.

Click Here to donate to the Travel Fund for the 2022 Global Meeting.

Notice of Meeting and Agenda
Democrats Abroad Switzerland, Geneva Chapter
Sunday, April 25, 2021
13h30 - 16h

The Democrats Abroad Switzerland (DACH) Geneva Chapter 2021 Nominations and Elections Committee is pleased to announce that the election of the 2021-2023 Geneva Chapter Leadership will take place during the 2021 DACH Geneva Chapter AGM on Sunday, April 25, online. (See separate AGM announcement for details). We hope you will attend to hear our annual report, to show support for the nominees, and, most importantly, to vote for the candidates of your choice. The offices announced for election are:

• Chair
• Vice Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer

Two individuals submitted notice of interest and statements to the NEC and have proposed to stand for election as co-chairs of the Geneva chapter. We thank them for coming forward to present themselves as candidates. See their names and statements below.

We will accept nominations from the floor for Secretary and Treasurer. You can see descriptions of these jobs here.

Proposed Agenda, Subject to Change

• Welcome
• Roll call - online check-in
• Year in Review report
• Short description of positions
• Thanks to outgoing officers
• Candidate statements
• Elections
• Welcome of new officers
• Presentation and discussion: Diversity and Inclusion in DACH
• Announcements
• Adjournment

Voting Method

Meeting attendees who are DA members as of Friday, April 23, may vote.

If you cannot attend the Zoom meeting, it is possible to vote by proxy. Request a proxy form from [email protected], identify a member you know who will attend, send a copy of your completed and signed proxy form to us by April 23, and send the form to the attending member before the AGM. Any voter at the meeting may hold at most two proxies.

Voting by advance ballot will not be available.

Election Process

At the meeting, the four offices will be elected one by one, in the order shown above. Because the nominations for chair have presented themselves as a co-chair team, meeting participants will be asked to approve the candidacy of the two nominees for co-chair. The candidates will then be given five minutes to address the members.

For offices with zero nominees (only), nominations for office may be made from the floor. All candidates will be given five minutes to address the members.

List of Candidates

Emily T. Blitz (Candidate for Co-Chair)

I am originally from New Jersey, living abroad for nearly all of the last 23 years. I have called Switzerland home since 2004, when I joined DACH. Despite the distance, I have remained involved in U.S. issues throughout the years living overseas. I was DACH National Secretary from 2006-2009. During my tenure, we more than doubled our membership, expanded the website, successfully pioneered internet voting at the Global Primary, and established local chapters. I also served as National Treasurer from 2013-2015, during which time we increased DACH funds year-on-year by 20 per cent.

Professionally, I am a conference specialist with rapidly growing experience in managing a wide variety of digital events. I live in Crassier (near Nyon) with my Dutch husband and our daughter.

I see serving as the Geneva Chapter co-chair as an interesting and excellent opportunity to expand my role in DACH again. As member of the Geneva Chapter Board, I feel I could contribute ideas and help chart the course that the Chapter could take in the coming years.

In addition to DACH, I previously served on the Board of The Condom Project, was the founding Board Secretary for GENDRO, and am currently the Independent Ethics & Integrity Counsel for Global Health 50/50. These previous experiences would prepare me for the roles and responsibilities involved.

If I am elected to serve, I would hope to continue the good work of my predecessors: developing membership, curating a varied program of fundraising and educational events, facilitating open conversations between local chapters in Switzerland and abroad, and helping our Geneva members make the most of this dynamic, though sometimes daunting, time.

Peter Butterfield (Candidate for Co-Chair)

I would like to serve as a co-Chair of the Geneva Chapter. Sharing the chair responsibility suits me well: I welcome having a leader’s say in setting the direction of chapter activities through the 2022 mid-term elections, but prefer to share leadership tasks with another person, especially when activities accelerate in election season.

I know how DA operates: I served as DA Switzerland Vice Chair 2013-2017. Since then I’ve stayed active to help DA advance its admirable mission, working in the national nominations/elections committee twice, serving as volunteer coordinator for the 2020 Geneva Global Presidential Primary, and continuing as a database admin and creator of email communications.

In the 2020 Presidential election, Dems Abroad helped achieve fabulous voters-abroad turnout, both in Switzerland and globally. We made a difference in Democratic victories all over the map. On-the-ground chapter activities played a key role. The newly-elected Switzerland Executive Committee has set outreach as a chief goal, to let Americans all over Switzerland learn about and join Democrats Abroad. As Chapter co-chair I will work to advance that outreach in the Geneva/Vaud region, with online and in-person activities that attract new members and keep current members engaged, on both the political and social levels. Tens of thousands of Americans live in this country, and although DA Switzerland is as large now as it’s ever been, there is plenty of opportunity to get more American expats to vote from abroad and join our activities here.

We will be electing our leaders for 2021 - 2023; they will guide us through our local chapter events leading up to the 2022 Midterm Elections. This will be a crucial period of creating and executing policy during the first half of President Biden's first term in office and we want your input!

The online meeting will start at 13:30 PM and will last a maximum of 2.5 hours.

RSVP here or to [email protected] for the meeting details and instructions on how to join the meeting.

Following the election of our national leaders at March 14's Annual General Meeting and heading into the chapter AGMs in April, we want to hear from you, our members, to see how you feel about DA Switzerland, what we're doing well, and what we can improve on.

It is clear that diversity and inclusion provide multiple benefits to organizations. We at DACH want to understand where we stand. The linked D&I surveys help gain  insight into whether DACH is making people from all backgrounds feel accepted and welcomed, and whether our members are receiving fair opportunities without any discrimination.

There are two forms of the survey; please feel free to complete either option:

or

Announcement: Annual General Meeting and Election of Chapter Officers

The Basel Chapter of DA Switzerland (DACH) Officers and the 2021 Nominations and Elections Committee are pleased to inform you that our 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will occur on Sunday April 18, 2021  from 14:00 - 16:30. All members of the Basel Chapter of Democrats Abroad Switzerland are invited to attend the AGM. Due to COVID restrictions on public gatherings, we will meet online via Zoom. The primary purpose of the meeting is to elect our 2021-2023 Chapter Officers. We hope you will attend to hear our annual report, to show support for the nominees and, most importantly, to vote for the candidates.

The offices to be elected are:

• Chair
• Vice Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer

We thank all those who came forward to present themselves as candidates. The candidates and their statements are presented below.

Proposed Agenda, subject to change:

• Welcome
• Roll call - online check-in
• Approval of minutes from 2020 AGM
• Year in Review report
• Short description of positions
• Thanks to outgoing officers
• Candidate statements
• Elections
• Welcome of new officers
• Announcements/Upcoming events
• Adjourn

All interested members are encouraged to attend. Pre-registration via our website is encouraged to help us simplify the elections process. You will receive the Zoom link upon registration.

Election Process

Meeting attendees who are members of the DACH Basel chapter as of Friday April 16th may vote. Online ballots will be made available to all eligible attendees.

At the meeting, the four offices will be elected one by one, in the order shown above. Since there is a candidate for each of the offices, per our bylaws nominations for office may not be made from the floor. Each candidate will be given two minutes to address the members.

If you cannot participate in person, it is possible to vote by proxy: Request a proxy form from [email protected], identify a member you know who will attend, send a copy of your completed and signed proxy form to us by April 16th, and give the form to the attending member before the AGM. Any voter at the meeting may hold at most two proxies.

Voting by advance ballot will not be available.

Candidates

Chair - Ben Stewart

My name is Ben Stewart and I am running for the position of Chair for Democrats Abroad-Basel. I am a native Hoosier and I vote in New York where I last lived before moving to the UK, Basel, Dubai, and now back to Basel. Based on my exposure to the DA-Basel community, I am absolutely convinced that we are well-positioned to continue delivering meaningful opportunities for active citizenship for our fellow Americans in the Basel region. More - add link

Vice Chair - Kristen Jafflin

It has been great working with the engaged, active team we have here in Basel over the last 4+ years that I've been active in the chapter. I am hoping to continue that work as Vice Chair for the 2021-2022 period. The last year has been challenging, as the global COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from engaging in many of the activities we hold dear. I'm sure many join me in looking forward to being able to start in-person activities again sometime soon. More - add link

Secretary - Vivian Beetle

Living abroad may create physical distance but it need not diminish our connection and involvement. This is what drives my commitment to Democrats Abroad. Working in concert with like-minded folks to address issues and determine leadership in the USA provides a concrete means to contribute from afar. More - add link

Treasurer - Jon Frost

I am running as Treasurer for Democrats Abroad Basel. 

I am a Washington state voter, born and raised in the Seattle area. My wife Elisa, our two kids (9 and 6) and I have lived in Basel since 2017. Before that we lived in Amsterdam for 8 years, and were part of Democrats Abroad in The Netherlands. More - add link

Contact [email protected] if you have any questions.

Faithfully submitted,
The Basel Chapter Nominations and Elections Committee
Jamie Donahoe and Carolyn Groff

New Chapter Leadership to be Elected at Zurich Annual General Meeting April 14

The Democrats Abroad Zurich Chapter 2021 Nominations and Elections Committee is pleased to announce that the election of the 2021-2023 Zurich Chapter Leadership will take place during the 2021 Zurich Annual General Meeting, on Wednesday April 14th, online. (See separate AGM announcement for details). We hope you will attend to hear our annual report, to show support for the nominees, and, most importantly, to vote for the candidates of your choice. The offices to be elected are:

1. Chair
2. Vice Chair
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer

We thank all those who came forward to present themselves as candidates. See their names and statements below.

Voting Method

Meeting attendees who are DA members as of Monday April 12th may vote.

If you cannot participate in person, it is possible to vote by proxy: Request a proxy form from [email protected], identify a member you know who will attend, send a copy of your completed and signed proxy form to us by April 12th, and give the form to the attending member before the AGM. Any voter at the meeting may hold at most two proxies.

Voting by advance ballot will not be available.

Election Process

At the meeting, the four offices will be elected one by one, in the order shown above. For offices with zero nominees (only), nominations for office may be made from the floor, as write-in candidates. All candidates will be given five minutes to address the members.

List of Candidates 

Office: Chair (1)

Zachary Bailey
My name is Zachary Bailey and I am nominating myself to be the chair of the Zürich chapter of Democrats Abroad Switzerland. I wish to help further our goals as a party and fight for the many issues that face both our country and the world. The recent election and the global pandemic have laid bare the fragility of our political, public health and social welfare institutions to this time of great upheaval. As chair of the Democrats Abroad in Zürich, I can help organize around those issues that are both close to me, and the issues that are close to other members of our chapter.

Office: Vice Chair (1)

Karen Herzog
I am interested in the Vice Chair role. I have been in Switzerland for 25 years. My husband is Swiss and we live outside of Winterthur. I have two teenagers. I have worked for many years in the Pharma industry for large multi-national companies and smaller ones in the compliance area ( financial and anti-bribery). I have lived in many places in the US, but am registered in Wisconsin as this is where I grew up. I am as well a Swiss citizen and speak fluent German at a C1-2 level. I have been in contact with the Dems Abroad last year because I was facing some issues with obtaining my absentee ballot. The group was extremely helpful and I did assist with some last minute mailings. I would like to be involved as I see now that this dedicated group can make a difference. I am also very impressed that Dems Abroad also has a voting bloc represented in the electoral process.

Office: Secretary (1)

Jenifer Kechulius
My name is Jenifer Kechulius and I am interested in the open secretary position with Democrats Abroad Zurich. While in college and grad school I held the positions of secretary, president, and treasurer of various student groups (this gave me my first experiences taking minutes for meetings). More recently I have held positions  as the program director of a private music school, the executive director of a chamber orchestra (ran monthly board meetings), and I am currently the administrative assistant for a music festival in Austria. I have a lot of experience with organizational and secretarial tasks from these positions.

Office: Treasurer (1)

Chi Tran Brändli
I’m a Vietnamese American, who was born in Vietnam but grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area since I was 8 years old. I graduated UC Berkeley with a major in immunology. I got a Masters in Economics from the University of St. Gallen after moving here with my Swiss husband. I’m a portfolio manager/equity analyst at a private bank. I’ve been living in Zurich since 26 years and have two teenage daughters.

We will be electing our leaders for 2021 - 2023; they will guide us through our local chapter events leading up to the 2022 Midterm Elections. This will be a crucial period of creating and executing policy during the first half of President Biden's first term in office and we want your input!

The online meeting will start at 18:30 PM and will last a maximum of 2.5 hours.

RSVP on this page for the meeting details.

Not a member yet but want to participate in the elections? Join here.

Want to cast a ballot but not able to attend? Complete a proxy form and email it to [email protected].

Last Sunday, Democrats Abroad Switzerland held our 2021 Annual General Meeting, including elections for our 2021-23 leaders!

Say "Hello!" to our new ExCom!

We are already working on plans for engaging with you, our members, as well as ways to reach out to other US citizens living in Switzerland. We want to hear from you and what you care about, so please get in touch!

The 2020 Annual General Meeting of Democrats Abroad Switzerland is this Sunday!

We will be electing our leaders for 2021 - 2023; they will guide us through our social, educational, and political events leading up to the 2022 Midterm Elections. This will be a crucial period of creating and executing policy during the first half of President Biden's first term in office and we want your input!

Are you interested in attending? Please RSVP on the event page here.

Learn about the candidates here.

Not a member yet but want to participate in the elections? Join here.

Want to cast a ballot but not able to attend? Complete a proxy form and email it to [email protected].