About a year ago, I was on my way to the Consulate in Joburg to cast my ballot for Kamala Harris for president. The 2025 I pictured back then, could have been described with words like progress, caring leadership & support for marginalized communities. But we all know that’s not the 2025 we are living through. 2025 has shown us over and over, just how much the leadership we choose, at all levels of government, impacts the direction our country.

State legislatures in TX, FL and other states under Republican control are looking for ways to take away our voting rights through racist mid-decade redrawing of congressional maps or state-specific versions of the SAVE act. Republican state government officials are attacking our right to free speech and people’s ability to make health care choices based on actual science and not right-wing, MAGA ideology. They are bending over backwards while twisting themselves into pretzels to appease and defend Trump’s every anti-democratic whim no matter the cost to Americans.  Meanwhile, Democratic state legislatures and officials are doing the exact opposite - looking for ways to protect health care access for everyone, protecting voting rights and protecting democracy itself by serving as a check against Trump's dictatorial powergrab.

Let’s make sure the VA House of Delegates remains Democratic, better yet, let’s expand our majority! Make sure you’ve registered to vote before Oct 14th (Civilians) / Oct 24th (Military & Family) using the Vote from Abroad Website. Then, get 5 of your friends and family in VA to register to vote by 10/24 via this link.

Why? Because elections matter. Our vote matters. 

Major 2025 elections in Virginia Include: 

• Governor: Vote for Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger
  It is incredibly important that we flip this governorship. The current Republican Governor Youngkin is term-limited. Vote to Win!
  
  
• State House of Delegates: All 100 seats are up for election
  Dems currently hold a 51-49 majority, which we need to hold and expand.
  Every vote counts! A few years ago, one of these elections resulted in a tie, the Republicans won the seat on a coin toss, giving them control of the State House.
  
  
• Also, Lt Governor and State Attorney General
  Both currently held by Republicans - important to flip!
  
  

Multiple Democratic state Attorneys General have filed lawsuits against Trump’s many unconstitutional executive orders - and won. Let’s strengthen their hand by voting for Jay Jones for Attorney General.

STATE VOTING RULES

Go to https://www.votefromabroad.org/states/VA to see details on how to vote in Virginia from abroad

DEADLINES

Register: Email

• Civilians: Tues, October 14
• Military & Family: Friday, October 24, 5pm
  
  

Request Ballot: Email

• Friday, October 24, 5pm
  
  

Return Ballot: Mail Only (At this stage the only safe option is courier!) 

• Postmarked by Tuesday, Nov 4, 7pm AND Received by Friday, Nov 7, 12pm

Let’s play our part and VOTE! 

Thank you,
Keisha Bedard