Special Election Nominations

Thank you to the DA members who have put themselves forward for a position on the DA-IE Executive Committee (ExCom) for this special election. The following people have been nominated (and seconded by a DA Ireland member) for positions before the pre-election day deadline of August 27th, 2025 for our Sept 13, 2025 Special Election.

Nominated for Vice Chair:

Patti Schnably Shields

Nominated for Member At Large: 

Ila Raso

Candidate Statements

Patti Schnably Shields - Nominated for Vice Chair

Hi NEC,
I would like to self-nominate for the Vice Chair Position available for DA Ireland. I am running for the position of Vice Chair of DA Ireland to continue my support for DA Ireland and its mission to encourage and empower non-partisan democratic participation through its Vote From Abroad campaign to create awareness and exercise the ability for Americans to register and vote from Ireland. Democrats Abroad advocates for the continued access to this important right, which is in jeopardy under the current administration. DA Ireland also provides a base for information for special elections, emerging candidates, citizen services, and provides a community of like-minded Americans space to debate, commiserate, and collaborate to protect democracy, marginalized communities, and the constitution. Our efforts are to elect candidates that speak to those same shared values. I have been a member of DA-Ireland since 2012 and have served as Vice Chair, Treasurer and most recently Chair for the last 3 years. It is my goal to share my institutional knowledge with Ryan and the new ExCom and help build even more momentum in our membership numbers, outreach and efforts to preserve Democracy, and I would be honored to serve on the ExCom in this capacity if elected. Thanks.

Best
Patti

Ila Raso - Nominated for Member At Large

Hi, I’m Ila, and I’m running for the Democrats Abroad Ireland Member-at-Large position. I am a third-year Political Science and Economics student at Trinity College Dublin. I’m originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, which is right outside of Washington, DC. Democracy, advocacy, and politics have always been a cornerstone of my life. As a high school student in the DC metro area, I was immediately pulled into political advocacy following the 2016 election and Trump’s harmful impacts. Since moving to Dublin for university, I’ve enjoyed expanding my political worldview, experiencing new perspectives, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. But one thing has remained certain: I want to do all I can to combat the authoritarian turn my home nation is currently undergoing. Throughout the tumultuous time of the previous presidential election, Democrats Abroad provided a welcoming haven for me. I would be honoured to take on the Member-at-Large position to play a direct role in furthering democratic engagement across the globe. This summer, I had the honour of working with my MD-08 Congressman, Jamie Raskin, to help lead his youth advocacy programme, Democracy Summer. This experience showed me the importance of collective action and community-building in our dire time. Now more than ever, we must organise together to stand firmly against the threats our nation is up against. Without community-building, we cannot enact effective change. That is exactly why I want to be your Democrats Abroad Ireland Member-at-Large: I will place community-building and inclusive organising at the forefront of my tenure. Through my commitment to community-building, effective communication of US political information, and youth-driven advocacy, I am ready to step into the role of Member-at-Large. Thank you so much for your time and consideration, and I look forward to continuing our fight for a better democracy together!
Thank you again. I look forward to talking with you more!
All the best,
Ila Raso

Voting

Each person nominated will have the opportunity to make a 2-minute statement to the attendees before voting commences. Voting will then take place electronically. Online attendees will get a link to the electronic ballot in the chat section of the meeting page.

Newly Elected Members Announced by Nominations and Elections Committee (NEC)

At the close of the vote-counting period, the NEC will announce the newly elected positions.

Please contact the NEC at ([email protected]) if you have any questions or need help with the form.

From the NEC:  Ryan Friesen Chair, Anne Brady and Madison Thibault