Time is of the essence. All US citizens outside of the US are eligible to vote in the 2024 Presidential Election. If you haven’t been called, please get in touch for help@votefromabroadcr.org or 7106-9505
For months, members of Democrats Abroad Costa Rica have been calling other Democrats here and all over the world at all hours of the day and night in Costa Rica to encourage them to register and vote. Some of the conversations have been inspiring. A few have been heart breaking.
Democrats Abroad has a dedicated team of volunteer, Phone Bankers, as they are called. Many of the most active live in Costa Rica. Our local phone bankers have made more than 5,000 calls in the last 30 days and continue to do so. The calls are made around the clock, depending on time zones, so that no one is called in the middle of the night. Phone bankers from Costa Rica have spoken or left messages for people not only in Costa Rica but in Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Guyana, South Korea, Japan, Spain, England and more.
A few calls result in unusual conversations, tears or laughter. For example, a phone banker saved a Florida voter who lives in Guyana lots of $$$. He received his ballot by email and could fax it back after voting. He was going to fly to Florida to vote. He saved lots of money and time away from his home and business just because he was called and told how to do it.
Another call was answered by the grown son of the voter. The son said that his mom was dying of cancer. Her wish was to stay alive long enough to vote for Harris/Walz. Sadly, the son did not think his mom would last until November 5. The phone banker explained how the ballot could be downloaded now, voted and returned to the prescribed election office in the US. The son told his mom, who was thrilled. She completed her ballot then and there and followed the directions to return it. It was a heavy conversation for the phone banker, but a happy moment for the voter, whose last wish could be granted.
In several cases, a phone banker calls one person and finds out that the household has three or more eligible US voter. The advice is shared, and the result is multiplied.
Every vote counts. And especially every vote from overseas counts:
- In 2018, overseas votes made the difference to elect Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina
- In 2020, overseas votes provided the margin of victory for Joe Biden in Arizona and Georgia
- In 2020, the overseas vote gave the victory to Jon Ossoff as Senator from Georgia
- In 2022, the overseas vote secured victory for two members of the House and for Senator Ralph Warnock from Georgia.
It is not too late. If you are a US citizen and haven’t voted yet, please contact help@votefromabroadcr.org or 7106-9505.
Article by Barbara Steenstrup
