DEAR READERS: A LETTER FROM VOTING ABROAD

Since November 5, 2008, I have been having better days because I have been experiencing days of hope. Also, I am not the only one. My current home country South Africa has an uplifting spirit of hope because they are sharing the victory with my country USA. The victory has to do with the USA chosing the right choice of our new president Obama. I am feeling so good that I was a part of that. The following letter was from voting abroad:


Dear Elsie,

We made it happen – by electing Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and by electing Democrats across the country, from around the world.

Most importantly, you made it happen!

You are the volunteer who registered countless voters. You are the help desk for VoteFromAbroad.org. You are the caller to hundreds of voters in swing states. You are the person who helped form a new committee of Democrats Abroad in one of nine countries around the world. You are the backbone of your country committee, from the Global Primary to Election Day events. You are the team that has kept our members informed and engaged, participated in debates, held training sessions, opened your home for events, and didn’t stop. You are the person who donated your talent, your expertise, your time, your money. You are the voter who helped make it happen.

You are our oldest voter, a 106-year old nun in Rome who looks to a President who is able to govern. You are a Marine veteran in New Zealand who inspired your family to vote Obama. You are a first-time voter in Paris who helped spread the word in our 'Where on Earth Will You Vote' video. You are a voter from DA – Afghanistan, our 44th country committee, voting for the 44th President of the United States. You are a voter who took the overnight bus to Sao Paulo to get your ballot couriered just in time. You are the voter who made sure your vote counted this year. You are the voter who made the difference.

We voted from virtually every country around the world, in every state across America – and D.C. We voted overwhelmingly from countries with committees in place to get out the vote. We voted from military bases in bigger numbers than ever before, we voted in more countries than ever before. First-time voters cast ten times more votes than ever before. We voted the official ballot, we voted the write-in ballot, we voted by mail, by diplomatic pouch, by express mail. We voted and won in a number of highlighted battleground states: in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. And we helped make it happen. (Although North Carolina remains undetermined at this writing.)

In Barack Obama, we have a President-elect who brings a depth of understanding to the challenges Americans – both at home and abroad – face today. A leader committed to reengaging with the rest of the world, disengaging from Iraq and restoring our global reputation. A leader who understands that our economy is not only in crisis but impacts worldwide markets.

But there are no easy solutions to these challenges. And we won’t be able to meet them head on unless we are once again a united America. But today we can look to the future and to leadership that works for and with all Americans, wherever we call home.

Today, I know we are all thankful that we could participate in this historic election and take our country in a new direction.

Thank you for making it happen,

Christine

Christine Schon Marques
International Chair, Democrats Abroad