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Thursday, January 31, 2008
Democrats to vote in the “51st state”
Here’s an interesting nugget about the potential political power of ex-pats: more than 6 million Americans live abroad, more than in 24 U.S. states. But ex-pats generally play a minor role (putting it nicely) when it comes to deciding elections back home, often because few go through the onerous process of securing an absentee ballot.
But Democrat ex-pats now have a second option if they want to weigh in on the presidential election: Democrats have created a so-called Global Primary, in which Americans living abroad will vote as a block and actually send delegates (22) to the Democratic convention in Denver. Today is the last day to sign up for the Democrats Abroad group, which will allow ex-pats to vote by Internet or by fax between Feb. 5 though the 12 (even if you don’t sign up, you can vote in person at voting booths throughout Mexico). The Global Primary isn’t a chance to double dip, however. If you vote by absentee ballot from your home state, you can’t vote again in the global primary.
There is also a Republicans Abroad group, which helps Republican ex-pats get absentee ballots for individual states, but as of yet has not organized an Internet voting system.
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Ex-Gov. Romney Behind on Governor Count
He was chairman of the Republican Governors Association not long ago, but Mitt Romney is coming up short in finding gubernatorial backers for his presidential campaign.
Rival Sen. John McCain basked in the glow of the “Terminator” by picking up California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s endorsement Thursday. That brings his total to six sitting governors and 10 former governors, including Romney’s predecessor in Massachusetts.
Romney has just three current governors (Don Carcieri of Rhode Island, Dave Heineman of Nebraska and Matt Blunt of Missouri) and four ex-governors.
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