American expats urged to vote in Democratic Primary as presidential hopefuls vie for support

Voting for the US foreign primary has opened
Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images
Tim Baker25 February 2020

The key for the American presidential hopefuls currently hoping to secure the Democrat nomination could be outside of their own borders.

As the field of Mike Bloomberg, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg battle for support from the United States, Democrats overseas are also having their say.

Through Democrats Abroad - an arm of the Democratic Party that is recognised as a "state" - Americans have until March 10 to vote for who they would like to see face off against Donald Trump to be the next President.

This foreign wing of the party has 21 delegates - more than New Hampshire and Iowa - and, in what will likely be a close race candidates, will be looking for all the support they can get.

Bernie Sanders has taken an early lead in the Democratic Primaries 
Getty Images

There are millions of Americans living overseas - and many in the United Kingdom and London.

A number of delegates are assigned to each state depending on the population.

A candidate needs 1,991 to win the nomination for the party ticket.

The state with the most delegates is California - which has 494 - and the lowest is Wyoming, with 17.

Tatiana Amlin, 38, is working to try and get Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, on the ticket.

Mr Buttigieg is one of the more centrist candidates that seem to be vying for support against early favourite Bernie Sanders, a Washington veteran and committed socialist.

Ms Amlin moved to the Surrey a year-and-a-half ago, and has taken to campaigning full time, organising events across the UK.

She told the Standard: “I think my vote is so much more potent over here than in America.”

The mother-of-two was a prosecutor in New York, but is not licenced to practice law in the UK.

“I think it’s very important to vote,” she added. “It is one of the most important responsibilities as a citizen. We have a responsibility to hold power to account.”

Part of the campaign is to tell American expats that they are entitled to vote while they are out of the US.

Voting is different from the General Election that will take place in November.

When choosing between the Democrat or Republican candidate in the winter, Americans can cast their votes from abroad, but it is counted in the state they last lived in.

As the primaries give the expats a separate allocation of delegates - like a 51st state - changing a few minds could be potent.

With only three states declared so far, the field for the primaries is still wide open
Reuters/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo

Ms Amlin said: “To be able to bring in 50 women I have coffee with or 10 people who come to an event is powerful.

“Young Americans come to the UK for their first jobs, to work for startups or follow a boyfriend or girlfriend here.

“There are also American companies, like law firms and banks, that have offices in the UK.

“There are also American schools.

“One woman from Plymouth has told me that she is getting a sleeper train to London to vote in person."

And there are hopes that the mobilisation of voters against President Trump will help spur people into action.

Ms Amlin added: “The primary is so tight, and is very possibly going to be one of the most contested primaries in history.

“We’ve had 18-year-olds come to ‘Pints for Pete’ events with their parents.

“These are the people I want to get voting. They may have never voted in America but they are still a part of the country.”

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has Ms Amlin's support
AP

As well as being to vote electronically by printing and scanning ballot papers, from March 3 there will be Democrats Abroad voting events around the world.

People hoping to take part in the vote can register on the same day as they wish to vote.

Julia Bryan, Chair of Democrats Abroad, said: “Voting in-person in the primary is exciting for lots of our members.

“For many of them, it’s the one chance they’ll have to vote in-person during this critical election year.

“Remote voting helps our voters who can’t reach our voting stations, and ensures that every Democrat living outside the US has the same chance to participate, regardless of where they live.”

More information can be found at https://www.democratsabroad.org/

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