We would like to extend a huge “Thank you” to the GOTV and phonebanking volunteers! Thanks to our volunteers, we contacted hundreds of DA members who vote in Georgia and South Carolina — and hundreds more who vote in Montana, California and Kansas for the 2017 Special Elections. A special shout-out to the top three phonebanking volunteers in June:

• Wendy Abondolo (DA UK)

• Dean Shuey (DA Philippines)

• Michelle Beldner (DA Denmark)

All of the 2017 Special Elections have been held in deeply 'red' districts, specifically chosen by Republicans because they were 'safe' seats. Each seat came very close to being flipped! In just seven months since the 2016 elections, Republicans suffered huge drops in their winning margins — ranging from 9 to 24 point swings.

These results show that Democrats can pick up the 24 seats needed to win a House majority in 2018. All 435 House seats are up for grabs in 2018, including 241 Republican seats. More than 70 of these Republican seats lean more Democratic than the Georgia 6th District!

This fall, we'll be counting on DA members and volunteers to turn out the Democratic vote for the Special Election in Utah's 3rd Congressional District, the Special Election for the Alabama Senate seat, and the New Jersey and Virginia State races. Let's keep the momentum going for 2018!

Here’s what you can do:

• Volunteer with the Get Out the Vote (GOTV) team. Use this form to let us know what you’d like to do:  Join the GOTV Team

• Send your ideas to help make GOTV more effective to gotv@democratsabroad.org

• Vote in a 2017 election: start the process at  VoteFromAbroad.org and follow the prompts. Then print out the form, sign it and send it in to your Local Election Office back in the U.S.

Net Neutrality or the Open Internet is important for everyone, but for Americans living abroad internet access is absolutely vital for staying in touch with family and friends, and to continue participating in American democracy.

Proposed FCC rules structurally undermine the equality of citizens to participate freely in the public sphere.

Take Action

As Congress moves toward tax reform, Americans living abroad demand a fairer, common-sense approach

Democrats Abroad calls on Congress to consider Residence-Based Taxation as part of their upcoming comprehensive tax reform package. 

Democrats Abroad gearing up and joining the rush to help with the Georgia 6th Congressional District runoff

Georgia’s 6^th District is gearing up to be the most expensive congressional race in history, and it’s quite possibly the most-watched, too. 

Last month in Washington DC at the Democrats Abroad Annual Global Convention, the LGBT Caucus presented its plans and goals in this new era, which sees LGBT rights under attack and threatened with rollback after eight years of unprecedented progress.

Democrats Abroad reaffirms its support for the Paris Accord and urges President Trump to remain committed to the Agreement.

“As Americans living abroad, we see climate change as an issue that demands our urgent attention,” said Julia Bryan, International Chair, Democrats Abroad. “Our members are not only Americans but also global citizens, and we believe that the U.S. can and should take a leadership role in preventing climate change. Committing to the Paris Accord is a critical step in that leadership.”

Earlier this year, Democrats participated in science and climate change marches around the world. The issue of climate change was also a key focus in the 2016 Democrats Abroad Party Platform, which received thousands of contributions with vetting from industry experts. Members voiced their concerns related to greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions, as well as long term security threats such as food and water scarcity, and public health and security issues.

The platform was ratified by 97% of electors, who urged the US government to address this pressing issue before it is too late.

More than 50 Democrats Abroad leaders took to Capitol Hill for a two-day Congressional Door Knock following the DPCA Global Meeting in Washington, D.C.

For this year’s Door Knock, members focused on lobbying for five key DA issues:

1. Overseas voting rights to advocate for easier registration and increased rules and deadlines transparency, including support for the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act and Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).

2. A fully funded and balanced Elections Assistance Commission to support ballot requests and information for Americans residing abroad.

3. FATCA reform through support of HR 2136 - same country safe harbor bill and combined reporting for FATCA and FBAR forms.

4. A move toward Residence Based Taxation (RBT) to reduce the burden of double taxation on Americans overseas, which DA has advocated for over the past two decades.

5. State Department and Embassy funding to continue education and support programs such as USAID, American Citizen Services, and education services; that enrich the lives of citizens abroad and increase diplomatic relations in foreign countries.

DA leaders had an impactful two days both hearing from and speaking to members of the House and Senate, many of them from their home states and districts, on these issues which greatly impact on American citizens overseas. It was also an opportunity for members to personally visit with their Congressional representatives to better encourage civic engagement.

Participants capped off their trip to the Hill with a special Democrats Abroad focused episode of Democrats Live which energized everyone for the summer of resistance ahead.

Until next time!

Courtney Hagen, DAUK/Global comms team

The final day of the DPCA global meeting in Washington, D.C. began with an inspiring start with a speech from DNC Vice Chair and New York Assemblyman Michael Blake. Blake challenged DA leaders from around the world with the necessity and urgency of uniting under the party. 

Reinforcing an imperative to “mobilize and organize” Blake narrowed in on the great obligation for Democrats to take part not just in Congressional or Presidential races but also in local, gubernatorial, municipal, and state races.

“When Democrats come home, resistance is successful,” said Blake. “As a Democrat abroad you are the face of hope and education for someone back home. You get information that someone might not get back home. You must provide that awareness opportunity.”

After outlining Blake called on Democrats to search for commonalities to align on values to better enfranchise citizens and voters in every state in the nation and Americans across the globe.

“We have to find the connective language that unites people beyond geography,’ said Blake. “We might have different zip codes but we all still care about education, healthcare, women’s rights, LGBT rights, diversity concerns, we just have to get to that connective value differently.”

The theme of thinking globally and acting locally was also carried through to this morning’s group discussion, featuring a panel of state Democratic party leaders, including David Pepper Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, Kathleen Matthews Chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party, and Georgina Cannan the Voter Protection and Policy Director for the Virginia Democratic Party.

The panel addressed concerns on state level voting and participation, stressing a need for increased cooperation and work with and for Americans that live abroad, along with the importance of their ability to vote from overseas. Better data collection and voter identification of Americans abroad in their state parties and election commissions continues to be a critical need and bipartisan issue. Panelists pledged to look for ways to incorporate a portal in their party websites for more transparent voting information.

DA leaders also voted on the venue for the next global meeting to be held in Japan, before officially adjourning. Though the DPCA global meeting is over for another year, DA leaders will stay on in Washington for a Congressional Door Knock on Capitol Hill to advocate for Americans abroad on five key issues:

1. Strengthening overseas voting rights

2. Reforming the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA);

3. Pushing for Residence Based Taxation (RBT);

4. Maintaining and refunding the Election Assistance Commission and advocating for more publicly available recordkeeping on overseas voter participation;

5. Resisting the proposed State Department budget cuts which include funding for American Citizen Services, USAID, and educational exchanges among others.

Stay tuned for an update on our door knocking!

Courtney Hagen, DAUK/Global comms team

Democrats Abroad, the official arm of the Democratic Party outside the United States, has elected a new executive committee to oversee the successful operation of DA on a global level, as well as equipping its 43 country organizations, caucuses, and other committees with the resources and tools they need to better enfranchise Americans in their communities.

The new executive committee is as follows:

International Chair - Julia Bryan, Czech Republic
International Vice Chair - Alex Montgomery, Hong Kong
International Treasurer - Lisette Wright, Canada
International Secretary - Jeffrey Cheng, Sweden
International Counsel - Tom Schmid, Japan

Voted in at the Democratic Party Committee Abroad’s annual global meeting, held this year in Washington, D.C., the team will serve a two-year term.

Congratulations!

Courtney Hagen, DAUK/Global comms team