January 2024 |
Newsletter |
VOL. 4, NO. 1 |
To view in PDF, click here
“It’s simple as it is profound. The performing arts are more than just sound and scene. They reflect who we are as Americans and as human beings.
That’s especially true for more than 200 Kennedy Center honorees over the past 46 years who have helped shape how we see ourselves, how we see each other, and how we see our world. Honors not just based on the length of the career or the scope of work or the height of fame but because of their unique place in the conscience and the very soul of our dynamic and diverse nation.” –President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
President Biden Remarks at Reception for Kennedy Center Honorees
Editor’s Message
Greetings! We have continued the VMF tradition of working feverishly to deliver valuable information monthly to our readership that would not only benefit active duty military overseas but also veterans who had decided to reside permanently overseas. This last group also needs information as they begin to integrate into civilian life while still keeping up to date on stateside events since one never knows when one will return to the U.S. or when one will need services. Many overseas veterans continue to go back to the States each year for their medical care in VA facilities. If they are not eligible for care in one of the few military hospitals overseas or do not live near a facility, it is important they know the procedures to follow.
In the VMF Read White and Blue newsletter, we have been on top of all of this information and have included up to date contacts in various countries on a regular basis balanced with News Notes to make sure everyone knows what is happening in the world including in Congress. Not forgetting family members including children, our Arts section has proved to be greatly appreciated and is a valuable part of Read White and Blue making it a well rounded publication with something for everyone that presents a broad spectrum of information that appeals to the varied interests of the DoD civilian community overseas as well as non military affiliated citizens who have become supporters and active members of the Veterans and Military Families Caucus.
We can look back on successfully meeting the Goals and Actions set out in the Terms of Reference of the DA Global Veterans and Military Families Caucus:
GOALS
∙Reach out to veterans, active duty and reserve military members and DoD civilians, as well as their families living abroad to encourage them to register to vote and to engage them in advocacy for our policy positions;
∙Provide a forum for DA members to understand better the issues and concerns affecting our military forces, veterans, and their families outside of the United States;
ACTIONS
∙Facilitate get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts for veterans, military families and DoD civilians; also develop sensible and sensitive strategies for encouraging active service members at U.S. overseas military bases to vote;
We have fulfilled these goals and actions by providing valuable information on a monthly basis to our membership and other interested segments of our overseas and stateside communities. We have made sure that there is a monthly calendar which can be used to plan events in advance and inform everyone in advance so they can plan to participate in workshops and activities. We have kept everyone up to date on events affecting the active duty military community so that their mission is better understood and we have concentrated on DA's main goal of helping overseas U.S. citizens to request their absentee ballots and vote.
We look forward to continuing our emphasis on these goals which we hope will result in a huge turnout of overseas voters in the 2024 elections.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and Democratic New Year!
Let’s start the New Year winning the open Congressional seat in New York’s 3rd District!
Terese Sarno
Editor
Please join our caucus to show your support for the U.S. military!
The union difference
2023 has been an amazing year for workers. In a new video, Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su reflects on how unions are making a difference for families around the nation.
New York's 3rd Congressional District special election, 2024
NEW YORK 3rd Congressional District VOTERS: Request your absentee ballot! Www.VoteFromAbroad.org
A special election February 13, 2024, in New York's 3rd Congressional District to fill the vacancy opened by the expulsion of George Santos (R).
The outcome of the election will help determine the size of the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. As of December 11, 2023, there were 221 Republicans and 213 Democrats in the House, giving Republicans an eight-member advantage with New York's 3rd as the only district with a vacancy. If Democrats win the special election, the Republican majority will narrow to a six-member margin after Johnson's resignation, with 219 members to Democrats' 213.
The general election will occur on February 13, 2024.
DA has about 900 members who vote in this district.
- Dec 30: Ballots go out
- Feb 3: Deadline to register (email ok)
- Feb 6: Deadline to request ballot (email ok)
- Feb 13: Ballots must be postmarked (mail only ballot return)
- Feb 26: Ballots must be received in NY
FVAP's 2022 Report to Congress
Highlights from the 2022 Post-Election Report to Congress
The 2022 voter registration rate for military was 63 percent, a four-point increase from 2018.
When adjusting for demographic differences between Service members and civilians (age, gender, education, etc.), the registration rate for military was 11 percentage points lower than the general population.
While active military members' participation stayed the same, civilian voting participation dropped in 2022.
Although the military voter participation rate was substantially lower than for civilians in 2018 (26% vs. 67%, respectively), participation for Service members stayed the same in 2022, while civilian participation dropped 4 points to 63% from 67% in 2018.
The 2022 "Overseas Citizen Population Analysis" conducted by FVAP estimated there were 4.4 million U.S. citizens living overseas in 2022. This represents an increase of slightly less than 1.3 million U.S. citizens (a 42% increase) since 2010.
U.S. citizens living abroad consistently vote at much lower rates in U.S. elections. An estimated 3.4% of eligible overseas voters returned a ballot during the 2022 General Election, while an estimated 62.5 % of domestic voters returned a ballot in 2022.
Among overseas citizens who did not return their voted ballot, some did not want to vote while others encountered obstacles in completing the process. Across all age groups, those who did not vote reported that difficulties completing the process prevented them from returning their absentee ballot. This was especially true for the youngest voters, who were up to 19 times more likely to have trouble completing the process than they were to report not wanting to vote.
Overseas citizens mostly relied on electronic transmission to receive their blank absentee ballots for the 2022 election, while Service members mostly relied on mail transmission. These results indicate that offering mail and electronic ballot return options is equally important when it comes to reducing the obstacles that UOCAVA voters might face when returning their ballots.
In 2022, electronic and mail ballot return were used at similar rates among states that allowed for electronic ballot return. The use of electronic ballot return was concentrated in the days before Election Day with almost half of the ballots returned electronically being received in the seven days leading up to Election Day.
See the full report for the 2022 Post-Election Report to Congress to learn about FVAP's activities supporting all UOCAVA voters.
FVAP offers a rich repository of information and data about military and overseas citizen voters, state election officials, and military voting assistance officers.
The State of the Military Voter and State of the Overseas Voter web pages provide insights on these groups' voting experiences from the most recent election year. In addition, the Interactive Data Center contains key data and trends over time for military and overseas voters, as well as state election policies.
Detailed information on each group for each election year is included in the technical reports on the Overseas Citizen Population Analysis, the Post-Election Voting Surveys of active duty military, state election officials and Voting Assistance Officers, and the EAVS Section B Research Notes.
In our November 2023 issue, Vol. 3, No. 11, VMF included the link to the MIT analysis of the 2022 election–New Report: How We Voted in 2022 | MIT Election Lab
If you have time, you may want to compare the findings with the FVAP Report.
ADVOCACY
We are encouraging all overseas Americans to request their absentee ballots on January 1, 2024 so that they will be all set to vote in all 2024 elections. All U.S. citizens who are overseas must request their absentee ballot every calendar year so please get this done early in 2024. (Requests made in 2023 will not be valid for 2024 elections: The request must be made in the calendar year in which the elections take place.)
We need your help to Get Out The Vote. Please sign up for a training program now, request your absentee ballot January 1st, and get ready to help your fellow Americans exercise one of their most important American freedoms--the right to vote for government officials of our choice! We need your help!
MORE VOTER ASSISTANCE TRAININGS AVAILABLE
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
WATCH: Harris vote breaks 32nd Senate tie, making history
Plan to improve military family moves delayed over new computer software
Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense Annual Report to Congress Pursuant to FY2021 NDAA,Section 554 dated 30 November 2023 Report No. DODIG -2024-034
COVID-19 vaccines sporadically available at US bases overseas…
CALENDAR & EVENTS
JANUARY is ...
Poverty Awareness Month
National Stalking Awareness Month
National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
January 1 – Request your absentee ballots for 2024. All overseas U.S. citizens must do this each calendar year. Go to www.VoteFromAbroad.org today! Why should you use VFA instead of your home voting office? Using VoteFromAbroad informs your Local Election Officer (LEO) that you are a US resident living abroad. When you use VoteFromAbroad, you can sign your Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) electronically by capturing a photo of your signature; some states do not allow this. If your state allows electronic signature, your ballot will be automatically sent to your LEO. What could be easier?
VoteFromAbroad protects you under the Uniformed And Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). You have certain rights that regular absentee voters do not. Your LEO will email your ballot to you no later than 45 calendar days before election day. When you return your ballot, most LEOs will notify you of its receipt by email. Many states allow you to return your ballot electronically. If you find there is no record of receipt of your ballot, you can then file a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB). If your original ballot arrives, the FWAB will be spoiled and not counted. You won’t vote twice. VoteFromAbroad has many volunteers to answer questions and provide any help needed. Request your ballot today at www.votefromabroad.org
January 4 – NY special election phonebanking campaign scheduled to start
January 11 – National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
January 13 - VMF Caucus Meeting 07:00 EST WebEx link
January 13 & 14 - Voting Assistance Marathon weekend
January 13 - 8 am EST Women Vote: Shaping the Future of 2024 and Beyond
January 15 – International Voter Registration Day
January 15, 1870 - The first appearance of Democratic Party donkey to symbolize the Democratic Party in America appeared in a cartoon in Harper's Weekly.
January 16 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service
January 22, 1973 - Abortion became legal in the U.S. when the Supreme Court announced its decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade striking down local state laws restricting abortions in the first six months of pregnancy.
June 28, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade decision (6-3 vote).
January 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Upcoming DA Activities
WHAT’S CONGRESS UP TO?
How Democratic and GOP Senate veterans
stopped Tuberville’s military holds
The House just passed a long-needed health care price transparency measure
‘We’re not catching these problems early enough’:
House lawmaker challenges VA on treating vets at risk of suicide
Holiday Recess: The House adjourns on Dec. 14 and returns on Jan. 9.
VETERANS’ ISSUES
Health:
Feds fix loophole preventing troops from getting 9/11 health care
Education:
Welcome to the GI Bill Web Site | The Home for All Educational Benefits Provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs
Veteran Recognition:
WWII soldier laid to rest at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery
Fred, the dog a Marine credits with saving his life, dies of cancer at 14
Click here for our Spotlight Thomas Nast: Father of the American Political Cartoon
Click here for our Podcast & Social Media Recommendations
Click here for our Poetry Corner
Click here for our Film and Book Recommendations
Click here for our Brain-Zone Quiz
Click here for our Educational Resources
Click here for our Virtual Museum
GLOBAL VMF CAUCUS MEETINGS
The Global VMF Caucus Steering Committee meets once a month.
All Democrats Abroad members are welcome to attend.
WebEx link for January 13 at 07:00 EST.
SUGGESTION BOX
Want to help overseas Americans request their absentee ballots? Vote in 2024? Do you have a suggestion for an event, a special program, or want to share an idea? Contact [email protected]
Connect with us on 
Please join our caucus to show your support for the U.S. military!
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Editor: Terese Sarno (Germany) |
Veterans and Military Families Caucus Chair: Kee Adams Evans (Guatemala) |
“Hear me plainly: The battle for the soul of America is not over. We must stand strong and stand together to make sure January 6th marks not the end of democracy but the beginning of a renaissance of our democracy. You know, for the right to vote and to have that vote counted is democracy’s threshold liberty. Without it, nothing is possible, but with it, anything is possible.” –President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.