Democrats Abroad facts for kids
.svg){kind=logo}
Logo since 2022
|
|
| Founded | 1964 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 430 South Capitol Street SE Washington, D.C. 20003 |
| Location |
|
Democrats Abroad is an official group for the Democratic Party. It helps US citizens who live outside the United States. This group is recognized by the Democratic National Committee.
Democrats Abroad has members in over 197 countries. There are 48 organized groups in different countries. You can find these groups in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. These country groups are part of the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA). Some countries with many Americans living there even have smaller local chapters.
Contents
Helping Americans Vote from Abroad
One main job of Democrats Abroad is to help US citizens living abroad vote. They created a website called VoteFromAbroad.org. Americans living overseas, whether they are Democrats or not, can use this site to register to vote.
Since presidents and members of Congress are elected by state, Americans abroad vote in the state where they last lived. Each state has its own rules for registering and voting.
How VoteFromAbroad.org Works
The VoteFromAbroad.org website asks voters which state they last lived in. Then, it guides them through a step-by-step process for that state. It asks for all the information needed to follow that state's election laws.
After all the information is given, the website creates a PDF document. The voter can print this document, sign it, and mail it. Sometimes, they can also fax it or send it by email.
A few weeks before an election, the local election office sends the voter an absentee ballot. This is a special ballot sent by mail. The voter fills it out and sends it back to cast their vote.
What Democrats Abroad Does
Besides helping Americans overseas register to vote, Democrats Abroad does many other things. These activities often happen in specific countries or cities. Here are some of their activities:
- They help if there are problems with absentee ballots.
- They organize talks, debates, and other events about politics. Often, special guests speak at these events.
- They help connect American ambassadors and consuls with Americans living overseas.
- They talk to Congress about issues important to Americans abroad. For example, they work on rules for citizenship for children born outside the US.
- They represent Americans living abroad in the Democratic National Committee.
- They raise money for the Democratic Party.
- They run a website with news for Americans living abroad.
Who Leads Democrats Abroad?
Democrats Abroad has eight main leaders, and all of them are elected. These leaders include:
- International Chair – Martha McDevitt-Pugh
- International Vice Chair – Steve Nardi
- International Treasurer – Joshua Van der Ploeg
- International Secretary – Karen Frankenstein
- International Counsel – Anne Brady
- Regional Vice Chair for the Americas – Hope Bradberry
- Regional Vice Chair for Asia/Pacific – Suma Shamanna
- Regional Vice Chair for Europe, Middle East and Africa – Jennifer Rakow-Stepper
Democrats Abroad also has eight members on the Democratic National Committee. The International Chair and Vice Chair are members of the DNC because of their positions.
Special Interest Groups
Democrats Abroad has different groups called caucuses. These groups represent people with shared interests. Some of these groups are:
- Global AAPI Caucus (for Asian American and Pacific Islanders)
- Global Black Caucus
- Global Disabilities Caucus
- Global Hispanic Caucus
- Global LGBT+ Caucus (for LGBTQ+ people)
- Global Progressive Caucus
- Global Veterans and Military Families Caucus
- Global Women's Caucus
- Global Youth Caucus
A Look at History
Democrats Abroad started with two small groups in London and Paris. This was after Lyndon B. Johnson won the 1964 US presidential election. The first leaders, Toby Hyde and Al Davidson, raised money and formed these groups. They worked to get Democrats Abroad recognized as a state-level group.
In 1972, the head of the Democratic National Committee, John Bailey, allowed Democrats Abroad to send nine non-voting representatives to the Democratic National Convention. By 1976, the group was given the same status as a state committee. This meant they could send delegates who could vote at the convention.
Over the years, Democrats Abroad has worked to make sure Americans living abroad have full citizenship rights. They have supported marriage equality, so that Americans in same-sex partnerships could live together in the US. They also support changing tax laws that are unfair to Americans abroad. The group has always worked for voting rights for all Americans, both at home and overseas. They supported important laws like the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act in 1986.
In 1992, Democrats Abroad changed how they chose their convention delegates. They switched from a primary to an open caucus. But in 2008, they went back to using a primary election. Former president Jimmy Carter is the first and current honorary chair of Democrats Abroad.
Primaries
Democrats Abroad sends a group of delegates to the Democratic National Convention every four years. They have been doing this since 1976.
See also
- Republicans Abroad
- Republicans Overseas
Images for kids
-
Logo since 2022
