“Welcome all candidates, electors and observers to the EMEA Regional Convention! Thank you for all your hard work in preparation, especially under these unprecedented conditions - our first completely online meeting of this scale ever.” 

With those words by Permanent Regional Convention Chair Will Bakker (and Regional Vice Chair for EMEA), the EMEA regional convention kicked off, with over 200 attendees, after some additional time was given to make sure people were able to log on without incident, as we’re doing generally during this COVID-19 era.

2020 DPCA REGIONAL CONVENTIONS (MAY 16 & 17)

This weekend, electors and candidates will gather online to start the election process of the Democrats Abroad delegation to the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The three regional conventions will run entirely online and include US citizen participants living in almost a hundred countries. By the end of Sunday, Democrats Abroad will have elected 3 DNC members, one representing each region, and 9 National Convention at-large delegates. 

The Democrats Abroad delegation will be finalized at the DA Global Convention, which will also be online, and runs June 6 and 7. At that point, 3 further at-large delegates, a Party Leader and Elected Official delegate, alternates, and 3 further DNC members will be elected to serve Democrats Abroad.   

The Asia Pacific Regional Convention will start at 10:30 PM EDT, May 15, 2020. 

• Registration for observers is possible at https://www.democratsabroad.org/136687/2020_ap_regional_convention

The EMEA Regional Convention will start at 04:00AM EDT, Saturday, May 16, 2020.

• Registration for observers is possible at https://www.democratsabroad.org/291100/2020_emea_regional_convention

The Americas Regional Convention will start at 11:00AM EDT, Sunday, May 17, 2020.

• Registration for observers is possible at https://www.democratsabroad.org/2020_americas_regional_convention

Who are the Electors?

Potential Electors are all elected members of an executive committee plus a country's DPCA voting representatives, elected or recognized chapter chairs of recognized chapters, plus the Regional Vice Chair (RVC) for the region.

Registered Electors are qualified Electors who have agreed that they will participate in the Regional Convention.

Each elector must be registered as a supporter of one of the two (2) Presidential Candidates who met the 15% threshold and did not withdraw from the DA delegate selection process - Biden or Sanders. Both Presidential Candidates are represented in the Americas and EMEA Conventions, and Sanders is represented in the Asia Pacific region. 

The quorum for each convention is 40% of the electors who do not opt out of attending.

What they vote on:

• Election of 1 DNC Member (per region)
• Presidential Preference Group (PPG) Chairs
• Election of 1 or more delegates to the 2020 National Convention
  • 1 in the Sanders PPG in the A/P Regional Convention
  • 1 in the Biden PPG in the Americas Regional Caucus
  • 1 in the Sanders PPG in the Americas Regional Caucus
  • 3 in the Biden PPG in the EMEA Regional Caucus
  • 3 in the Sanders PPG in the EMEA Regional Caucus
• Election of two Global Platform committee members per region 
• Platform resolutions to be sent to the Global Platform Committee

On Tuesday, May 12, the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to allow for "flexible participation" of delegate participants to the Convention to be held in mid-August. This would allow the DNCC (Democratic National Convention Committee) "maximum flexibility" in making plans for the convention.

It is uncertain at this time whether the Convention will be held in-person, virtually, or a hybrid of both methods, but we know that, should the RBC resolution be passed by the full membership of the DNC, any delegate elected to a state party delegation can "accomplish their official business" and participate in the convention in some way. Additional information can be found here.

April 28 - Democrats Abroad Youth Caucus call with Marianne Williamson.

Prague, CZ -- Julia Bryan, Global Chair of Democrats Abroad, released the following statement regarding Senator Bernie Sanders’ suspension of his campaign:

"Thank you, Senator Sanders. You have shown us all the breadth of our big-tent party, and helped push progressive policies to the forefront of the political debate. Our country can be a place where healthcare is a right, not a privilege; college education can be affordable; and sound environmental policies are not an afterthought but central to the conversation.

I am grateful that the Senator will continue to represent us in Washington, D.C., and know that he will help the Democratic party come together in unity to defeat Donald Trump in November."

Democrats Abroad announced the official results of the 2020 Global Presidential Primary today, with Senator Sanders receiving 57.9% of the abroad vote and securing 9 delegates for the Democratic National Convention, while Joe Biden received 22.7% of the vote and 4 delegates. Here's a look at voter turnout in detail:

• Sanders received 57.9% of the abroad vote, securing 9 delegates for the Democratic National Convention, while Joe Biden received 22.7% of the vote and 4 delegates.
• 39,984 Americans successfully cast their ballot, a 15% rise from 2016. 

Global Primary kicked off on Super Tuesday and runs through Tuesday, March 10, with steady turnout set to increase as voters take to the polls on Saturday.

Democrats Abroad announces that Mayor Michael Bloomberg has withdrawn from the Global Presidential Preference selection process

On March 7th, Mike Bloomberg and his campaign officially withdrew his name from the Democrats Abroad 2020 Global Presidential Preference selection process. 

Democrats Abroad will send 13 pledged delegates and 8 automatic delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin next July. The results of the Global Presidential Primary will determine which candidates the delegates represent at the Convention.  

- First-ever voting centers in Argentina, Ecuador, Finland, and Romania contribute to in-person voting that continues to surpass 2016 turnout. -

- 60% of votes in the Global Presidential Primary have been cast remotely. -