We have our Global Presidential Primary (GPP) Voting Center on Saturday March 7, 2020 from 2-5pm at Profiles Asia Pacific Inc, One Magnificent Mile-CITRA Building, 39 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City--thanks Member Jocelyn Pick for hosting, including in previous years.

This year, Democrats in every state and territory, as well as Democrats Abroad (DA), have the opportunity to participate in primary elections or caucuses (Democrats Abroad holds a primary--as an official "state" party recognized by the Democratic national party or Democratic Party known as the Democratic National Committee or DNC, we have DNC state-level recognition to represent the nine million civilian and military US citizens living abroad, and as such deliver presidential primary votes like a state does), to help decide who becomes the Democratic Party's nominee for US president. The winner of this nomination then takes on Donald Trump in the general elections in November 2020.

Voters may only vote once for a presidential candidate: either through Democrats Abroad, or through their home state. Those who vote in DA's GPP may still participate in their home state's primary or caucus for all other candidates (for example, for the US Senate or House of Representatives), but they cannot vote twice for a presidential candidate.

Why vote in DA's GPP versus your state's presidential primary? Because your presidential primary vote for the Democratic Party's nominee for US president could be more powerful coming from DA's GPP compared to your state's presidential primary. For instance, if you vote in California, your presidential primary vote in DA's GPP is some four times more powerful than if you vote in California's state presidential primary because there are lots of Democratic voters in California.

And with nine million US citizens living overseas (and about seven million eligible to vote), citizens living abroad make up a larger population than all but 11 US states. Since the 2016 presidential election was decided by less than 80,000 votes, there is a very real possibility the overseas vote could decide the 2020 US presidential election. No matter how long a citizen has lived abroad, they still have a right to vote in national elections. However, many do not. The most common factor for why US citizens abroad don’t vote is that they have limited opportunities to learn about their right to vote and the requirements for casting their ballot. Simply by learning they can vote makes a US citizen living abroad dramatically more likely to do so.

This is the most important presidential primary election in a generation, and GPP is the opportunity Democrats living overseas have to impact this important decision. More info here.

Democrats Abroad (DA) is the official Democratic Party arm for nine million US citizens--civilian and military--living outside the United States. Our goals are to mobilize the overseas vote to elect Democratic candidates and help Americans abroad amplify issues that matter to them. We are best equipped than any organization to help overseas Americans engage in the US political process because the Democratic national party or Democratic Party known as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) recognizes us as an official "state" party. With DNC state-level recognition, we: (1) hold an official Democratic presidential primary, (2) help select the Democratic presidential candidate by also sending a voting delegation to the Democratic National Convention to represent DA Primary Voters and help decide the national party’s nominee for president, (3) represent US citizens abroad at all DNC meetings because we elect eight DA Members to hold eight positions on the Democratic National Committee to represent us, and (4) are the only official US political party of American citizens abroad because the Republican Party does not have an equivalent organization of this status. We work to reach as many US citizens as possible, in as many ways as possible, to ensure they have opportunities to stay engaged in the US political process and presidential election. In the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats Abroad helped grow the civilian overseas vote by 322% over the 2014 midterms. This year, we expect to help more than one million voters vote overseas, and win Democratic elections back home.

Visit Democrats Abroad Philippines homepage, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

Press contact: email Democrats Abroad Philippines da-ph@democratsabroad.org

You are invited to our next general meeting on Saturday March 28, 2020 from 3:30-5:30pm at the Elks Club, 7th Floor Corinthian Plaza Building, Paseo de Roxas corner Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City.

If you would like to attend the meeting but cannot get to Makati, we would be happy to have you join by Skype if you have a strong internet connection.

Minutes from Annual General Meeting January 18, 2020 to follow here, for you to please review and approve at the meeting.

Please RSVP by emailing da-ph@democratsabroad.org.

Democrats Abroad (DA) is the official Democratic Party arm for nine million US citizens--civilian and military--living outside the United States. Our goals are to mobilize the overseas vote to elect Democratic candidates and help Americans abroad amplify issues that matter to them. We are best equipped than any organization to help overseas Americans engage in the US political process because the Democratic national party or Democratic Party known as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) recognizes us as an official "state" party. With DNC state-level recognition, we: (1) hold an official Democratic presidential primary, (2) help select the Democratic presidential candidate by also sending a voting delegation to the Democratic National Convention to represent DA Primary Voters and help decide the national party’s nominee for president, (3) represent US citizens abroad at all DNC meetings because we elect eight DA Members to hold eight positions on the Democratic National Committee to represent us, and (4) are the only official US political party of American citizens abroad because the Republican Party does not have an equivalent organization of this status. We work to reach as many US citizens as possible, in as many ways as possible, to ensure they have opportunities to stay engaged in the US political process and presidential election. In the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats Abroad helped grow the civilian overseas vote by 322% over the 2014 midterms. This year, we expect to help more than one million voters vote overseas, and win Democratic elections back home.

Visit Democrats Abroad Philippines homepage, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

Press contact: email Democrats Abroad Philippines da-ph@democratsabroad.org