February 2020 Newsletter

  February 2020         

Welcome to the Democrats Abroad CanaDA Newsletter!

In this our third issue of CanaDA News you’ll read of the numerous areas where Democrats Abroad volunteers are working to lobby on issues impacting Americans who live abroad and at home, but more importantly in this election year, the tremendous efforts by dozens of volunteers to Get Out the Vote [GOTV].

Today begins the second step of the Delegate Selection Plan for the Nominating Convention with the Democrats Abroad Global Presidential Primary, which is comparable to your home state primary, except ours only has candidates for President to be selected. Today you will have received an email with your electronic Democrats Abroad Presidential Primary ballot. You can participate in both the DA primary and your state primary but you can only vote for the Presidential nominee once.

DemsAbroad Canada has established a voice through the scope and voting strength of our membership, empowering us to achieve direct access to lobby Congress on tax reform issues affecting all of us. We need your participation in the Democrats Abroad Primary to give Canada a stronger voice.

Now, we’ve met many Americans who have lived here 10 plus years who say, “I haven’t lived there in 15 years, why should I have a say in their politics?”, to which there is one simple answer. As long as Americans living abroad are impacted by Citizenship Based Taxation, FATCA’s & FBAR’s, the “reparation tax”, the GILTI tax, and the thousands of dollars spent to comply each year, it shouldn't matter if you’ve lived here 10 years or 50 years; if you’re required to comply with these onerous costly regulations even upon death, then why should you do it without representation?

And some myth busting - occasionally Americans have expressed concerns that exercising their right to vote could be shared with the IRS for tax matters. We do not have a known case where an American has voted and as a result was contacted by the IRS.

Plus, your vote in the Democrats Abroad Presidential Primary carries up to four times the weight than if you voted in your home state primary! Voting in the DA Primary gives your vote more weight, as there are far fewer DA members than state voters. While tens of thousands of people will participate in the GPP this year, millions will vote in their home state. That means our vote in the GPP is more powerful than if we were to vote in our state’s presidential primary. Here are some examples as to how much more impactful your vote is for your preferred candidate through Democrats Abroad:

Below you’ll read about the numerous local Voting Centers and Ballot Assistance Events occurring between March 3^rd – 10^th. But you don’t have to vote in person or wait until March 3 to participate. Look for that email you received today from Democrats Abroad and from the luxury of your living room or kitchen, whether in workout clothes, pj's, or dressed for the office. Take a few moments and cast your ballot for your preferred candidate today. For those who want to watch the Super Tuesday results with fellow Americans and cast a paper ballot, we’re offering more opportunities than ever before across Canada. Whichever is more convenient for you, PLEASE VOTE! And if you know other Americans, please encourage them to visit www.democratsabroad.org/join to participate in the Global Primary.

A good turnout increases our ability to have our party and our candidates address issues important to those of us living abroad. 

Democratically Yours,

Steve Nardi                                                                                                                          Denise Roig
Chair, Democrats Abroad Canada                                                                                       Editor, CanaDA News

More than 220 voting events will be held for the Democrats Abroad Global Presidential Primary around the world, with Canada among 45 countries hosting events. Thanks to our GPP, Canadian DA members will be able to vote in-person for the candidate of their choice at 19 events in 11 cities across the country – from Halifax to Victoria. The GPP opens on Super Tuesday, March 3 and runs until March 10. (In fact, the very first Super Tuesday event in the world will be held by the Dems Abroad chapter in Bangkok, Thailand!) Results from the GPP will be posted on democratsabroad.org on March 23.

In order to be eligible to vote at a Democrats Abroad voting center, you must be a U.S. citizen:

* Residing abroad in Canada
* A member of Democrats Abroad – [You can register at the voting center if you are not yet a member]
* 18 years old as of November 3, 2020
* Voting only in the Dems Abroad presidential primary

Ten Democratic candidates will appear on the Democrats Abroad ballot for the Global Presidential Primary. Through our online petition process, each candidate collected 300 signatures from DA members and filed the necessary paperwork. The candidates are: Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Deval Patrick, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren, and Andrew Yang.

[Vote in your state primary through votefromabroad.org for U.S. House, Senate, Governor, plus other down-ballot races]

CLICK HERE TO LOCATE DETAILS FOR YOUR CHAPTER'S VOTING CENTER(s) 

Stacey Abrams

Members of Democrats Abroad were invited to join a call last month with Stacey Abrams from Fair Fight. Abrams fought to become the first Black female governor in the U.S., running against Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp in 2018. Kemp also just happened to be in charge of the Georgia election, a state rife with instances of voter suppression. State voting roll purges, poll closures, four-hour lines at the polls and strict voter ID laws twisted the results of that extremely close election and “disproportionately prevented black and brown citizens from their constitutional right to vote,” explained Angela Fobbs, chair of DA’s Global Black Caucus.

But one needn’t live in states like Georgia to face voting obstacles. Americans living abroad may find that their vote-from-states frequently block voters from viewing their state’s election pages, which can lead to missed deadlines and misunderstood voting instructions. Some states block voters from abroad from reaching their state’s ballot download pages, “effectively blocking ballot access from all but the most determined voter,” according to Julia Bryan, Democrats Abroad Global Chair. Another obstacle could be requiring voters abroad to send their ballots back home via postal mail. Not only can this be expensive, but for Americans living in countries with limited postal service this makes voting nearly impossible. Then there are notorious misinformation campaigns which spread incorrect information via social channels.

Click here to read more about DA's efforts to fight voter suppression.

MaRS Discovery District, Toronto
Host site for DPCA 2020 Global Convention

Democrats Abroad Canada will have the honour of hosting the 2020 Global Convention in Toronto from May 15-17 at the MaRS Discovery District. The convention is expected to attract 300 attendees from around the world, as well as dozens more participating virtually via teleconference. Thanks to Toronto’s proximity to the U.S., it’s likely that DNC staff and possibly a candidate or two will also be attending, notes Steve Nardi, chair for Democrats Abroad Canada.

What happens at a global convention? Along with determining the 2020 platform for Democrats Abroad, delegates elect members to the Democratic National Committee, as well as candidate delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this coming July. Training sessions on topics such as running effective Get Out the Vote (GOTV) initiatives and managing communications and media strategy will also be presented.

Click here to read more about the Global Convention, volunteering opportunities, home-stays, and travel discounts.

Ask an American to Vote co-hosts David Schellenberg & Rachel Eugster

Ask an American to Vote is a lively new podcast for anyone who can vote from abroad in American elections—and for those who know someone who can. Launched by David Schellenberg and Rachel Eugster (Chair and Vice Chair of DA Canada’s Capital Region chapter), the podcast can be heard at https://anchor.fm/demsabroadca or through Spotify or Google podcasts.

Eugster and Schellenberg hope to reach people—particularly in Canada – who have never exercised their right to vote. “Everyone in Canada knows an American,” says Schellenberg. “We want to find those people through their friends and motivate them to vote.”

“It’s a way to cut through the noise to explain issues of interest to American citizens living outside the U.S.,” says Eugster. “We’re trying to anticipate questions and demystify the process of voting from abroad.”

Click here to read more about Ask an American to Vote and listen to the most recent episodes.

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Virginia became the 38^th U.S. state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment on January 27, with its State Senate and House voting 27-12 and 58-40 in favor respectively. This means the ERA is now ratified by three-quarters of U.S. state governments. Next step: a vote in the U.S. House the week of February 10 to ratify the ERA as part of the Constitution. However, court battles have already started, says Shari Temple, Democrats Abroad ERA coordinator. “We need the Senate to pass this,” she explains. “There are 42 supporters and we need nine more. We can’t solicit judges but we can push our senators to do the right thing.” Call yours now to support SJR6!

Members of the Hamilton/Burlington/Niagara and Toronto DA chapters met with Chris Fahey (second from left) and Bonnie Kane Lockwood (third from right), staff members for Representative Brian Higgins (26^th district, NY), to talk about tax implications for Americans abroad.

“The majority of us aren’t making millions or trying to hide our money in secret Swiss bank accounts. We just want to live simple, ordinary lives. The amount of stress that comes along with the U.S. tax system is overwhelming. It is extremely complicated and expensive to navigate. We live with a real burden that Americans living in the U.S. simply don’t understand.” – Michigan voter living in the UK

Seven members of the Hamilton/Burlington/Niagara and Toronto chapters drove to Buffalo in late January to meet with the staff of U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins, 26^th District of New York. (Close to 200 DA members in Ontario vote in his district.) The subject: taxes, taxes, taxes. At a round table with Bonnie Kane Lockwood, Higgins’ director of special projects, and Chris Fahey, the congressman’s deputy chief of staff for special projects, DA members presented their case. Weighing in via teleconferencing from Australia was Carmelan Polce, chair of DA’s Taxation Task Force.

Ken Sherman, past chair of the Hamilton/Burlington chapter and member of the Democratic National Committee, explained that Americans living abroad must file taxes both in the U.S. and in Canada. “There are over 6.5 million Americans like us who are suffering serious personal and financial harm because we are subjected to taxation both in the United States – even if we have no U.S.-sourced income – and in Canada where we live. Most of us are filing zero-dollar tax returns in the U.S.”

Click here to read more on DemsAbroad Canada's efforts to support global lobbying on tax rights.

Roaring into the 20's

Raising awareness around climate-friendly candidates, policies, lifestyle and the special role women can play will be the over-arching goal for DA’s Global Women’s Caucus in 2020. Join the Women’s Caucus – http://www.democratsabroad.org/wc -- and “help propel a ‘blue-green’ wave of new leaders into power on election day!” says Ann Hesse, chair, Democrats Abroad Global Women’s Caucus.

Save the date to save the earth!

Trash clean-ups, clothing swap meets, packets of “bee-friendly” wildflower seeds handed out with VoteFromAbroad labels. The Global Women’s Caucus Climate Team is teeming with ideas on how to mark the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22. Whether it’s partnering with climate organizations or sponsoring a Dems Abroad event, there will be many ways to mark this important day. Check your DA chapter’s website and FaceBook page for details.

The Edmonton chapter never holds an event without red, white, and blue balloons.

Since Kimberly Johnson took over as chapter chair of DA’s Edmonton chapter last March, it’s been one surprise after another. First, that students at the city’s post-secondary schools – Edmonton boasts two main universities, plus tech and community colleges – would become the chapter’s base. “We have a fair chunk of international staff and students,” explains Kimberly, who teaches a unique combination of art, science and medical history at the University of Alberta. “We basically do voter registration all year long on campus.” Also surprising, she says, has been “finding out how many Canadian-born kids with American parents we now have as members who didn’t even realize they were able to vote. The worse things get, the more excited people are to discover this!”

Realizing after the 2016 election that “there were no sidelines left to sit on any more,” Kimberly stepped up as chapter chair after serving as head of communications. “I’m still running our Instagram account. With only three of us in leadership, we run Edmonton with a skeleton crew.” Even so, the chapter hosts an ambitious roster of events from regular debate watches to postcard-writing sessions to Thanksgiving dinners. “We also do what we call Sanity Sessions,” Kimberly explains. “We had one right after the Kavanaugh nomination.” Held in a campus pub, these are a “big source of relief and comradeship. People just want to talk to somebody, for someone to say, ‘No, this is not normal. We’re all worried.’”

Click here to read more about how Edmonton is building community.

Riley Nielson-Baker, chair of the re-activated Atlantic Provinces chapter, is working to extend DA membership to places like Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

After moving to Halifax from Coral Springs, Florida, six months ago to pursue a master’s degree in public administration, Riley Nielson-Baker emailed Democrats Abroad, asking, “Hey, is there an active chapter here?” When told there wasn’t, Riley answered, “Well, there’s going to be.” Since the new chapter hosted its first debate watch last August, it’s been all systems go. “There was no shortage of pubs to choose from for a debate watch,” laughs Riley. “Halifax boasts the largest number of pubs per capita in North America!”

Six months in, DA’s Maritimes chapter now numbers 620 members in all four Atlantic provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland. “We’re all one chapter,” Riley explains, “though most of us are in and around Halifax. We’re working on adding representatives from the other regions.” It’s adding up in terms of participation, too, with high attendance at meetings and new volunteers stepping up in new positions. Riley’s especially encouraged by the “big spike in our chapter’s membership, beginning on New Year’s Day,” and with the response to a panel the chapter held in December at Dalhousie University on political culture under Trump.

For sure, there are hurdles, especially getting on the radar of local media, “getting our voice heard.” Personally, there’s the work/life balance challenge since Riley is not only chapter chair during an election year, but also a full-time grad student and a volunteer for both the national and provincial chapters of the NDP in Halifax. “It’s hard to not do everything.”

Click here to read more on how Riley's motivation is re-energizing the Atlantic Provinces chapter.

Phone-banking has proven to be one of the most effective Get Out the Vote tools in our Democrats Abroad arsenal. Learn how to become a successful phone-banker with a new phone-banking training video. If you haven't tried phone-banking previously watch the video to see how simple it is when you're calling members of DA: www.democratsabroad.org/phonebanking

With the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary behind us, it’s time to rev up for the next two intense months of primaries and debates:

February 19: Ninth Democratic Primary Debate (Las Vegas, Nevada)

February 22: Nevada Democratic Caucuses

February 25: Tenth Democratic Primary Debate (Charleston, South Carolina)

February 29: South Carolina Democratic Primary

March 3: Super Tuesday! Primaries in: Alabama, Arkansas, American Samoa, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Democrats Abroad (our primary runs through March 10)

March 10: Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi and Washington Primaries, North Dakota Caucus

March 15: Eleventh Democratic Primary Debate (Phoenix, Arizona)

March 17: Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio Primaries

March 23: Results of Democrats Abroad Global Presidential Primary announced

March 24: Georgia Primary

March 28: Puerto Rico Primary

Check your local chapter's website and FaceBook page for news of debate-watch gatherings in your area.

Debate #7 – The first Mississauga debate watch drew Dems Abroad members from Mississauga, Hamilton, Brampton, and Oakville.

London-area Dems Abroad members will soon be distributing lawn signs to give next month’s Global Presidential Primary a boost.

Not above the law -- Bitter cold didn’t faze members of the Toronto and Hamilton chapters from raising signs and voices across from the U.S. Consulate on Dec. 17, the evening before Congress filed articles of impeachment for Donald J. Trump.

We can’t win in 2020 without you. It takes a village to do all the things we need to do. There are many opportunities for volunteers available:

- Phone banking
- Progressive, Women's, LGBTQ+, Black, or Veteran's Caucuses
- Local Get Out the Vote activities
- IT or Communications

Please send an email to DemsAbroad Canada Volunteer Manager Jamey Shick and indicate which area you'd like more information on.

Democrats Abroad Canada

Telephone
(877) 336-2008

E-mail
Info-canada@democratsabroad.ca

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www.democratsabroad.org/ca

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