The following notice was emailed to members by the Nominations and Elections Committee on Feb. 23, 2023:

The annual general meeting of Democrats Abroad (DA) Sweden is coming up soon: Sunday, 26 March. It is time to elect new and re-elect previous members to the executive committee for the 2023-2025 term. All persons on the executive committee serve on a purely volunteer basis for a two-year term.

As of midnight Saturday, 18 February (the previously announced deadline for nominations), the nominations committee had received nominations for all positions. 

Electronic ballots will be sent out latest by Wednesday 16 March (10 days prior to the Annual General Meeting). We thank all those who submitted their nominations and for being part of our own democratic process. We look forward to the voting process next month.

Get to know the candidates by reading through their biographies and statements of candidacy, which are compiled in the following document. 

Yours,
Kelsey L. Martin, Secretary, DA Stockholm-Uppsala
Chris Brandon, Secretary, DA Skåne
Carry Cooper, Member, DA Western Sweden

Democrats Abroad Sweden will be having its annual general meeting on Sunday, March 26, 2023 from 1:30pm-4:30pm online (WebEx) and in Stockholm. Please RSVP for the link and location. 

We have had a banner year! Last November, we helped Democrats hold the Senate and held back an expected "red wave." At this year's annual general meeting, we will make plans to enliven our local chapters and find new ways to engage members. Please join us to be part of these plans -- and get to know your fellow Democrats abroad!

Below is the day's schedule and the agenda for the annual general meeting. Please note that we will be electing all positions on our country's Executive Committee. These positions will be noticed separately by our nominations and elections committee, which will also distribute and collect ballots electronically for the election.

Schedule

**Remember the time change! Daylight Savings Time (sommartid) starts on the morning of the meeting.**

Pre-meeting, in-person

12:00                Doors open
12:30-13:30     Taco lunch!

Hybrid portion of meeting

13:30-14:00     Welcome and introductions
14:00-15:15     Annual General Meeting (see agenda below)
15:15-15:30     Break/Fika
15:30-16:15     Chapter Break-outs: Planning locally for impact from abroad
16:15-16:30     Wrap-up and ending

Annual General Meeting (AGM) Agenda

1. Call to order
2. Prepare and approve the voting list (roll-call) and quorum determination
3. Approval of the agenda
4. Elect two persons to attest the minutes
5. Determination that the meeting has been duly called
6. Reading and approval of the 2022 AGM minutes
7. Chair's report (incl. Chapter reports)
8. Treasurer's report
9. Auditor's report
10. Approval of the accounts and discharge Executive Committee from liability vote
11. Nomination and approval of auditor for 2023 finances
12. Proposed amendments to DA Sweden bylaws (view proposed changes)
13. Announcement of election results for Sweden's Executive Committee positions
14. Closing remarks and end-of-meeting

If you are a U.S. citizen (including dual-national) living abroad, you have the right to vote from abroad in the 2022 midterm elections and every election. If you are or will be 18 on November 8, 2022, you can vote in the upcoming elections.

Amerikanska medborgare (inklusive de med dubbelt medborgarskap) har rösträtt i allmänna val oavsett var i världen man bor. Om du är 18 år eller fyller 18 senast den 8e november har du rätt att rösta i det kommande valet. Om du behöver stöd på svenska kan du vänligen kontakta oss på [email protected]

As a U.S. citizen, you can register to vote from abroad while living, working, or traveling overseas by submitting one form, the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). It doesn't matter if you were registered to vote before you left the U.S. or how long you have lived outside the U.S. (including if you've never resided there).

Below you'll find an overview of the entire process of voting from abroad, including:

1. How to register to vote and request your ballot
2. How to confirm your request has been accepted
3. How and when should you receive your ballot
4. Vote your ballot
5. How to return your ballot
6. Confirm your ballot's arrival
7. What to do if you encounter difficulties
8. Get your "I Voted from Sweden" Stickers for social media

Please note that there is NO IN-PERSON VOTING in Sweden for the November election!

1. Register to vote and request your ballot for the 2022 midterm elections📝

Visit https://www.votefromabroad.org/ to fill out your FPCA absentee ballot request — it takes 5-10 minutes! If you're not registered to vote, the FPCA also serves as a voter registration form. Given the continuing uncertainty surrounding the United States Postal Service (USPS), ask for your ballot to be delivered by email.

Once you've filled out the form on www.votefromabroad.org, you must submit it to your local election office in the United States. Most states allow you to submit your FPCA directly from www.votefromabroad.org without the need to print out the form. But some states do require that you print out your completed form to submit by email attachment, by fax, or by mail. If your state requires that you submit your FPCA by postal mail, vote and return your ballot as soon as possible. State deadlines and submission methods can be found here.

If you have any questions while filling out the form, you can also always refer to Vote from Abroad's FAQ section or type your question in the website's chatbox (red circle in the bottom right-hand corner). Or you can email [email protected]

2. Confirm your ballot request has been accepted and that you will receive a ballot ☑️

You should always verify with your local election official (LEO) that you will be receiving a ballot. After you send in your FPCA request form, call or email your LEO to verify they received it and will be sending a blank ballot to you. Your LEO's contact information is listed in the instructions generated when you complete the FPCA on Vote from Abroad. You can also look up their contact info here. Alternatively, most states provide a website where you can verify your voter status, although these sites can sometimes be outdated. You can find it by searching for "[state] verify voter registration."

3. Receive your ballot 📧

Under the MOVE Act, all states must send absentee ballots to overseas voters no later than 45 days before a federal election (this year: September 24, 2022).

But you don't need to wait for ballots to come out on September 24. If you must mail back your ballot, we recommend you send in a Backup Ballot NOW. The Backup Ballot (the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot or FWAB) is specifically for overseas voters who are concerned they won't receive their official ballot in time to return it by the deadline. All details about the Backup Ballot can be found here.

When it's time for ballots to come and you don't see yours, check your spam folder -- ballots can hide in there! If you still don't see it, please contact your LEO and confirm they sent your ballot out. You can look up their contact info here. You may need to send in a new ballot request form, just go to www.votefromabroad.org.

If you don't have your ballot by October 1 and you must mail it back, we recommend you send in a Backup Ballot to make sure your vote gets to your state in time. All details about the Backup Ballot can be found here.

4. Information about candidates, ballot initiatives, and judicial candidates 🗳️

It’s very important to vote your ballot completely. The simplest way is to vote for Democrats straight down the ballot. Some elected positions do not have a party affiliation directly associated with the party, like school boards, judges, and others. To determine who to vote for in those cases, you can do the following: 

• Google your county's local Democratic Party
• League of Women Voters offers a personalized ballot service at https://www.vote411.org/ballot. You can learn where candidates running for office in your community stand on the issues. You can print or email the information to use as a reference when you vote. 
• Google: Ballotpedia "your state" elections 2022 - Example: Ballotpedia Florida elections 2022
• You can Google the candidate's name to find their campaign website and information about each person.

5. Return your ballot 🗳️

Once you've received your ballot, fill it out and return it immediately. Ballot return methods vary by state (online, email, postal mail, fax). Especially if your state only allows postal mail return — which is the case in many swing states like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin — you must return your ballot as quickly as possible.

Check your state's exact ballot return methods here.

If your state allows email or fax ballot returns, please use these options as they’re not subject to delay. Here is more information on fax submission.

New Jersey Voters: Please note that New Jersey allows for email or fax returns, but also requires that the ballot be sent by postal mail, too.

New York Voters: Here are instructions on How to fold the New York State General Election ballot.

If your state requires postal mail ballot return, the best option at this point is to take your ballot to a post office. If you mail your ballot “rekommenderat,” you can trace its path from the time it’s sent until it’s received. If you use a courier service, make sure that you ask for a postmark or date stamp to be placed on the outer envelope.

We do not recommend booking or paying online with any courier service. You may not receive a postmark if you book or pay online.

Even with expedited courier services, ballots still take several days to get to the United States. You must send it as soon as possible! Do not wait. Too much is on the line!

Returning your ballot via diplomatic pouch: Voters in Sweden can drop their ballots at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm (Dag Hammarskjölds Väg 31), Monday-Friday (except holidays) 10:00-15:00. Be sure to place your voting materials in an envelope using enough U.S. stamps and address it to the relevant local election officials.  Please be aware that using the diplomatic pouch does not mean your ballot will arrive faster. It can take up to four weeks for the mail to reach its final destination, and there is no way to trace the ballot. Therefore, we do not recommend using the diplomatic pouch after October 5th.

Regardless of how you send in your ballot, remember that you (the voter) must be the one who places it in the mail. In some states, it is unlawful for any other person to handle your voted ballot, even if it is sealed.

And when filling out your ballot and packaging your ballot, don't forget to review the instructions carefully. Don't let human error spoil your ballot!

6. Confirm your ballot's arrival at your local election office in the United States

Once you've mailed your ballot, follow up with your local election official to make sure that it arrived and will be counted. Please do not just assume that your ballot has made it! Nearly all states have online tracking services. To find your state's website, click here and scroll down to "Track Your Ballot". You can also look up your local election office's contact details here and try contacting them directly. They are experiencing an influx of calls, so you will likely need to remain persistent to get through to someone.

7. Having trouble? Need help? 😕

We understand that the voting process from abroad can be confusing — that's why we're here to help.

Send an email to [email protected].

Or, a one-on-one live voter help is just a Zoom away! Click in to ZoomTheVote, hosted and staffed by experienced VoteFromAbroad voter helpers, from anywhere in the world. Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon-4pm EDT and Sundays from 11am-3pm EDT. Link to join is here: https://qrco.de/bbh0zg Please share widely!

8. "I Voted from Sweden" Stickers

Tell your friends on social media that you voted with an "I Voted from Sweden" sticker free of charge. Request yours here today: Download a digital sticker.

Whether you're in the east, the west, or somewhere in between, come meet fellow Democrats Abroad at one of our two upcoming events!

Ever wondered what the DNC actually is? Find out at our Western Sweden Chapter's June afterwork on the 28th from 6:00-7:00 pm. Meet us in person in Gothenburg at John Scott's Linnégatan or attend online. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

Missing your usual Independence Day picnic in the States? Do we have the answer for you! The Stockholm-Uppsala Chapter is celebrating the day with an informal, family friendly picnic on July 2 in Stockholm. Grab your friends and family, something to drink, something to eat, and maybe something to sit on, and meet us at Tantolunden in Södermalm between 2:00 and 5:00 pm. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

Stay-tuned for more events and volunteer opportunities. Events are announced at: www.democratsabroad.org/se_events. And feel free to reach out: [email protected]. 

We will be having our annual general meeting on Saturday, February 5, 2022 from 1pm-4pm on WebEx. 

Please RSVP here for the link.

It is imperative that we mobilize and win in the mid-terms! In addition to our regular meeting, we will be making plans to help Americans register and vote. Democrats Abroad had a big impact in the 2020 elections, and we can do it again!

Below is the day's schedule and the agenda for the annual general meeting. Please note that we will be electing a person to our Member-at-large position, which has been noticed separately by our nominations and elections committee.

The annual general meeting of Democrats Abroad (DA) Sweden is coming up soon: 5 February.

It is time to elect a member-at-large to the Executive Committee, to complete the 2021-2023 term of Beth Landry, who stepped down to become the DA Global Secretary. This is the only position we will be voting on. The two members-at-large on the Executive Committee have voting rights at the global DA level, along with the country chair and vice chair. All persons on the executive committee serve on a purely volunteer basis for a two-year term.

Are you or someone you know interested in being a part of our leadership team in Sweden? Are you ready to represent Democrats Abroad Sweden on a global level with your voice and your vote? This is your chance.

Thanks to our talented and dedicated team, Democrats Abroad Sweden consistently performs among the top DA countries. You’ll be a key part of our efforts here in Sweden and can get involved in shaping Democratic politics at the global level. Being a member of this leadership team is incredibly rewarding; you’ll be part of a vibrant, inclusive, global community of Democrats. The time commitment is relatively minimal (a couple hours per month) and the role largely -- voting rights aside -- what you make of it.

The annual general meeting will be held in Stockholm on Saturday, 5 February, an announcement about which will go out soon. The election of the member at large will be conducted via electronic vote before the meeting, and the results will be announced at the meeting.

The current Democrats Abroad Sweden executive committee:

• Chair: Cassandra Engeman (2021-2023)
• Vice Chair: Kelvin Acheampong (2021-2023)
• Secretary: Kimberly Kane (2021-2023)
• Treasurer: Sheri Eklund (2021-2023)
• Counsel: Robert Houser (2021-2023)
• Member-at-Large: Bill Borden (2021-2023)
• Member-at-Large: Christina Davis (2021- ; appointed on a temporary basis until the coming annual general meeting)

Eligibility criteria:

• Candidates must be verified members of Democrats Abroad Sweden.
• As members of the executive committee with voting rights at the global DA level, the two members-at-large must be of differing gender. Because Bill Borden identifies as male, this means that any candidates to the open position must not identify as male. They may identify as female, gender neutral, gender fluid, etc.
• If nominated by someone other than oneself, candidates must confirm their willingness to serve.
• Nominations for office must be made in writing.

All nominations must be submitted at the latest by midnight on Saturday, 1 January 2022 (35 days before the election). Send nominations by email to [email protected].

Nominations must include the following:

• name
• short biography (max. 150 words)
• statement of candidacy (max. 200 words)
• gender identity

After candidates are announced, they will have the opportunity to present themselves via a short video message and also at a digital meet-the-candidates forum on Wednesday, 12 January.

Democrats Abroad Sweden is proud to announce that our members have elected a new Executive Committee which will lead us through the 2022 midterm elections. 

At our 2021 Annual General Meeting on 24 April 2021, Democrats Abroad Sweden concluded the election of a new Executive Committee that will serve for the next two years. 

"It's been an honor to serve as Chair for the last four years. This fantastic team of dedicated volunteer organizers went above and beyond during a difficult time to ensure that we did our part to make the United States better. Thank you to everyone who organized, donated, and most importantly voted. But we can't let up now and I am so glad to see that our members have elected a wonderful new team to lead us through the 2022 midterm elections," said Alex Lange, Former Chair of Democrats Abroad Sweden. 

We're proud to announce that the following persons were elected:

• Chair: Cassandra Engeman
• Vice Chair: Kelvin Acheampong 
• Secretary: Kimberly Kane
• Treasurer: Sheri Eklund
• Counsel: Rober Houser
• Member-at-Large: Beth Landry
• Member-at-Large: Bill Borden

In addition to those elected at the Annual General Meeting, the local chapters have also elected new leadership this year:

• Stockholm-Uppsala Chair: Liz Clark Wessel
• Stockholm-Uppsala Secretary: Kelsey LeGloahec Martin
• Western Sweden Chair: Diane Larsson
• Western Sweden Secretary: Joel Parthemore
• Skåne Chair: Michael Kaplan
• Skåne Secretary: Chris Brandon

Please read this whole message carefully, since it contains important information to help U.S. voters in Sweden vote this year.

Do you know when you'll be getting your ballot and how to return it? The 2020 presidential election is less than 50 days away. Don't delay!

Voting from abroad has in fact already begun. Some states have sent ballots to overseas voters already and all states will have done so by September 19. 

A lot of important updates since the Democrats Abroad 2020 Global Presidential Primary are here:

📌 Coronavirus Crisis

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Sweden Executive Committee has decided to extend the period during which we will not be having in-person events until April 15th. We continue to assess the situation on an ongoing basis, and will let members know when we will be resuming in-person events. 

We are preparing a number of online/remote events, including for voter registration assistance, and are shifting our focus to outreach via social media and phone banking. 

📌 Voter Registration for 2020

Have you gone to votefromabroad.org yet to request your 2020 absentee ballot?
Don't wait - fill out your Federal Post Card Application form today!

📌 Democrats Abroad Delegates to the 2020 DNC - Applications Now Accepted!

During the week of August 17^th, the Democrats Abroad delegation will join the other state party delegations at the Democratic National Convention to formally choose our nominee for President of the United States.

Any DA member is eligible to run, and the Affirmative Action Committee strongly emphasizes the importance of DA members from historically-underrepresented backgrounds to run as delegate candidates in showing the world the diversity of our Party and our members around the world.

Forms to declare delegates’ candidacy are now available online. Please fill it out as soon as possible and return it no later than April 17^th.

Workshops with Democrats Abroad about becoming a 2020 DNC Delegate are happening on these dates next week:

• Saturday, April 11th at 9 AM CEST &
• Monday, April 13th at 7 PM CEST

📌 Earth Day 50th Anniversary Panel Discussion

On April 21st, the eve of the 50th Anniversary celebration of Earth Day, the Democrats Abroad Global Women's Caucus will present a virtual panel discussion on "Women and the Environment". Sign up to attend here.

📌 FAQs on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Safety (CARES) Act from the Democrats Abroad Taxation Tax Force

Democrats Abroad has received many hundreds of emails from members interested in understanding the provisions of the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, their eligibility for support and how and when they might receive it.

In order to prevent delays in our responses, the Democrats Abroad Taxation Tax Force has developed from member emails a FAQs document that aims to address the key concerns we have been hearing. The Taxation Task Force will continue to add to it as needed.

📌 Volunteer with Democrats Abroad Sweden

Did you know that Democrats Abroad is an entirely volunteer-run organization? That means everything we do to reach out to voters abroad is because of the dedication and commitment of our amazing volunteers.

Can you help take action with us?

• Sign up to phonebank from home for 2020 voter registration - phone calls are one of our most effective ways of reaching out to voters 📲
• Making calls costs money! Please consider making a donation today, and pick the "Give to Support Phonebanking" option in the drop-down menu
• Fill out our DA Sweden Volunteer Survey to let us know other ways you can help
  
  

No commitment is too small, and working together has collective power!

Yours,

Beth Landry [They/Them]
Vice Chair, Democrats Abroad Sweden
[email protected]

Because of the ongoing outbreak of Covid-19 in Sweden, Democrats Abroad Sweden is canceling all events and gatherings through March 31. 

Right now, social distancing measures are some of the most effective ways for us all to help slow the spread of Covid-19 in Sweden so that the healthcare system does not get overwhelmed. That is why Democrats Abroad Sweden has decided to cancel all our events and gatherings for the time being. We will monitor the situation on an ongoing basis and will keep members informed regarding future events after March 31.

Since we will not be holding voter registration events in the near future, please consider completing your ballot request for the November election from home right now. Go to www.votefromabroad.org to get started.