Thursday, January 31, 2008
The first online primary – Democrats Abroad to decide delegates online on Super Tuesday
WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com
For the first time ever on February 5th Americans living outside of the United States will be able to vote for their favorite Democratic candidates over the Internet. Super Tuesday starts abroad this election cycle.
Thailand:
About 1,500 expatriate Americans are expected to cast ballots at voting centres here or via the internet in a presidential primary for Americans living abroad.
Five hundred Democrat supporters in Bangkok are expected to cast ballots, while another 1,000 living elsewhere in the country are likely to exercise their rights via the internet, in what is being billed as the first hi-tech primary vote for Democrats abroad, said Philip Robertson, chair of Democrats Abroad Thailand (Dat).
Democrats Abroad, a branch of the party representing overseas voters, will hold its first global presidential preference primary from Feb 5 to 12, with expatriates selecting the candidate of their choice by internet, fax, mail and drop-in ballots at polling places in more than 100 countries. The Democrats Abroad global primary will determine which presidential candidates the 22 delegates of Democrats Abroad support when they go to the Democratic National Convention in the US in August. In Thailand, poll centres will open in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nong Khai and Udon Thani. – Bangkok Post
Come Feb. 5, the mega primary day in the U.S. election, Toronto resident and American citizen Anne Borden can vote in the first ever global online presidential primary for overseas Democrats.
At the Democratic national convention in August, the expatriate cyber votes will be represented by delegates of Democrats Abroad.
“They helped me register to vote. I didn’t even know I could vote,” says Borden, a copy writer who moved to Canada in 2003.
The online primary is part of the Democrats’ get-out-the-vote campaign, no matter where the voters live. The presidential election in 2000, when the Florida count was so close, showed that every vote matters. – Toronto Star
Italy:
Thanks to the Internet, Americans who belong to the Democratic Party are getting a voice of their own in the presidential nomination, as the party has agreed to allow expatriates to choose 22 delegates to the national convention as part of the so-called Super Tuesday voting next month.
Everyone Counts, a company based in San Diego that specializes in online voting, is running the Internet voting for the Democrat primary for overseas residents. Everyone Counts handled the voting by Internet for local elections in British cities in 2003 and 2007 as well as the online voting for the Australian election in November, handling voting by soldiers stationed in Iraq and other spots overseas.
The Democratic primary for Americans abroad will start Feb. 5, the Tuesday when 21 states will hold primaries, and run until Feb. 12. In addition to voting by Internet, people can also cast ballots by mail, fax or – in 34 countries – they can vote in person. – International Herald
India:
Americans in Delhi who are registered Democrats will trek to Ploof Restaurant in Lodhi Colony on February 5, when there will be a showdown across the US between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that may point to the eventual winner of the Democratic presidential nomination.
February 5 is known here as “Super Tuesday” because that day 24 states, including the more populous ones like California and New York, will choose their delegates to the nominating national convention of either party.
American Democrats in Delhi who wish to cast their ballots at the voting station in Lodhi Colony have been asked to bring their passports or any other proof of US citizenship.
Americans living elsewhere in India have been asked to register to vote and join Democrats Abroad by January 31. A ballot, a secure ID and instructions for voting will then be sent to them so that they can vote online in the Democratic Global Primary on February 5 and 6. – The Telegraph
Democrats Abroad have a total of 22 delegates but each vote only counts for 1/2 a vote. The delegation will be staying at the Red Lion Inn Denver Central just outside of downtown Denver during the convention.
Posted by Oreo at 12:23 AM 
The first online primary – Democrats Abroad to decide delegates online on Super Tuesday2008-01-31T00:23:00-05:00Oreodelegates|primaries|