BootsnAll Travel Community

Mods, I thought this was a better spot than in Living Abroad, because it's time-sensitive. More people will see it in Members Forum, but feel free to move it wherever.

If you live abroad and you are a registered Democrat, TODAY, January 31 is the last day to get registered to participate in the first Global Democratic Primary for Dems abroad. You can register online, clickety here.

The actual primary will be Feb. 5-12. You will be able to vote online or by paper ballot (fax or snail mail). The group organizing this is Democrats Abroad.

I need not remind everyone that this election is significant. And crazily, your overseas ballots might be significant in picking the nominee if this primary is as tight as I think it's going to be to be. Weird, huh? Even though your delegates (22 total) only get half-a-vote each at the convention. Hmmm. You guys should talk to someone about that.

It's highly unlikely that Clinton or Obama will decisively lock up a needed majority of delegates on Super Tuesday. Depending on so many factors (who Edwards' delegates go to, whether Florida + Michigan's delegates are seated, unexpected wacky happenings), this could be contested all the way to the convention.

So vote. No matter who you're backing, vote. The sheer numbers of total voters alone sends a message about how engaged the Democratic base is this year.

And, a handy little tool in the age of Utterly Moronic Idiots Editorially Reporting Who-Dissed-Who-This-Time, an actual, no-spin, easy to reference, list of Where the Candidates Actually Stand on Actual Issues Plus Their Voting Records.

I should probably understand this better than most because of my job, but I'm confused.

We already voted absentee for the primary in Virginia. Is the vote you're referring to for expats who can't claim any state? Maybe I'm in a different situation since I work for the USG and have to have a state residency (and pay taxes there) even though I don't really have any ties to the state.

I just wanted to be certain I can't also vote in something else.

'Global Presidential Primary'? My undestanding is that it individual states do primaries. I've not heard of this and am a bit skeptical. Maybe it is just marketing in action?

EDIT: yea, it looks like marketing to me. Meaning, they just help you sign up for your individual state's primary/election.

cib, my dear boot, i don' think there will be no "global" delegates at the national convention.

It is legit. The Democratic National Committee (Howard Dean) made an announcement about it. It's new this year, is probably why you haven't heard about it before.

You can vote in your home state primary. Or you can vote in this one. But not both.

So I suppose it's for expats who don't claim a state. Forgive me, I really don't know the logistics of how that breaks down, but I'm assuming there's some sort of need if this group exists.

This would also make more sense for you if your state votes at the end of the cycle, since this is happening sooner than some of those primaries. Or if your home state is Michigan or Florida, this would be better for you, since Michigan + Florida might not get delegates at all this year. Otherwise it probably makes more sense to vote with your state via absentee ballot, since these delegates get half-a-vote each at the convention and your state delegates get a whole vote.

It does also seem intended to foster overseas party cheerleading/fundraising, but it is legit.

Here's more background.

OK, cib, you are correct. I signed up and have this quote:

quote:

Your vote will count alongside those of other members of Democrats Abroad towards the allocation of Democrats Abroad’s 22 delegates to the Democratic National Convention. As such, your individual vote carries significantly more weight than a vote in a state primary or caucus.

Not only is it legit, my vote here weighs more than back in Hawaii (which I predict will go to Obama, a former resident himself) The Fine Print

Sorry I doubted you, my dear boot. Please forgive me.

Skobb, relevant to you is "be temporarily or permanently resident outside the United States". It sounds to me like you have to stick with VA.

dont forget your absentee ballot...go obama

It does sound like I'm stuck with Virgina. Normal residency stuff is a bit fubar'd for me. At least Virginia could be somewhat of a battleground state for the election. I think it tends to be reddish, but with pockets of blue.

Damn...I missed the deadline! But I am not a registered Democrat (I'm independent though there is no way I will vote a Republican this year), so...

Well, I definitely will not miss the general election!

So, I cast my ballot a few minutes ago. The Internet voting system they have is bit disturbing.

1) The UI was clunky and occasionally vague.
2) I received a "Java could not verify applet signature" error message.
3) After voting I was instructed to print my ballot. The result? A blank page. I even printed it to PDF and that too is blank.

Well, it's only for a primary so I'll get over it. But my lack of faith in electronic voting is reinforced.

(Yes, I did write them.)

As I write this post, the Swiss Dems abroad emailing system has gone beserk and is sending me the same bloody email every 30s. And I cannot unsubscribe. Grrr....Time to write another email.

I'll never forgive you, cib! Never!

yEs they are coming to VA on SAturday! go Hillary!

quote:

Originally posted by Stoo:
So, I cast my ballot a few minutes ago. The Internet voting system they have is bit disturbing.

1) The UI was clunky and occasionally vague.
2) I received a "Java could not verify applet signature" error message.
3) After voting I was instructed to print my ballot. The result? A blank page. I even printed it to PDF and that too is blank.

Well, it's only for a primary so I'll get over it. But my lack of faith in electronic voting is reinforced.

(Yes, I did write them.)

As I write this post, the Swiss Dems abroad emailing system has gone beserk and is sending me the same bloody email every 30s. And I cannot unsubscribe. Grrr....Time to write another email.

I'll never forgive you, cib! Never!

Oh come now, I don't run the Global Dems site! Don't blame me! I just put the info out there.

Can you get someone on the phone? You do have the whole week to vote, if they can figure that your vote didn't go through then maybe you can submit a faxed ballot.

I do believe it worked, and my vote was submitted, but there is no paper trail.

And, yes. It is all your fault. It always will be

quote:

Originally posted by Stoo:
I do believe it worked, and my vote was submitted, but there is no paper trail.

Good. Because the way this is going it might come to your little lost vote in the Dems Abroad Primary to decide who it is.

The stress is just killing me.

Attention Mod Squad!

Can you now move this to the Living Abroad Forum? It's timeliness has passed.