Why Americans living abroad are a voting bloc with untapped political potential

[Jilly_in_VA]

After graduating high school in Georgia in 1969, Herbert Ruffin was drafted into the military to serve as an infantryman in Vietnam. A year later, he was badly wounded in a firefight. He was awarded the Purple Heart and went on to serve his country for more than two decades.

But when it came time to retire, Ruffin chose to continue living abroad.

"The quality of life for me, as a person of color — there was better opportunities for me to live in Germany," he says. "I was born in the 1950s, so I came through some very challenging years being raised in the South."

Ruffin, 72, remains a registered voter in Maryland, where he typically votes for Democrats. He says he still feels a deep sense of patriotism and takes voting as an American overseas seriously.

"Where I grew up, opportunities to vote were restricted," he says. "I have a voice and I can encourage others to vote and let them know they can vote from abroad."

Ruffin is one of at least 3 million American expatriates of voting age, a voting bloc that organizers and researchers are still trying to understand in an era of data-driven political targeting.

It's a group with the potential to wield substantial power, if fully activated.

https://www.npr.org/2022/11/06/1132730832/american-citizens-voters-overseas-abroad

[GreenWave]

1. I was on a transient visa abroad

They forced me to vote in their elections saying well you live here now. Vote or face a stiff fine, jail or both. And you have to vote for cabinet ministers too. More than two dozen parties to chose from. Fun times.

[Karma13612]

3. Interesting! which country was this?

Curious how you were allowed to vote when not a citizen. Then again, that might not be a universal standard world wide. In a way, that was good that you had a say since you would be effected by any laws and policies that government imposed.

[GreenWave]

4. It was Venezuela

and the Adecos were in power. (Very US friendly).

Ciudad Allianza was created from the Alliance for Progress.

We once stopped there at a gasoline station and I noticed footprints painted on the sidewalk and in shop. I asked the proprietary what that was about. She has two daughters running the gasolinera. So I thought this is neat to see women running what many viewed as a macho business.I was shocked when the lady teared up and said John F. Kennedy agreed to wear some shoes and walk around in the painted shoe bottoms.

[Karma13612]

5. Wow!!!

what a cool story!

[sanatanadharma]

2. As a Democratic voter expat, I applaud being able to email or fax a vote from afar

And to this end and the theme of this OP, I recommend the site Democrats Abroad.

"Democrats Abroad is the official Democratic Party arm for the 9 million Americans living outside the United States. We strive to provide Americans abroad a Democratic voice in our government and elect Democratic candidates by mobilizing the overseas vote."

Democrats Abroad is recognized as a "state" party by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and is represented on the DNC by eight voting members, as well as at the quadrennial Democratic National Convention.