Issue No.

July 31, 2023

“Building a better MADRID

Future!”
Latest news and bulletin updates

WELCOME TO OUR FIRST ISSUE!

DA Madrid had a great representation at the Gay Pride March- July 1, 2023. “Supporting gender equality across the globe.”
(Full story on Page 2)

“We strive to provide Americans abroad a Democratic voice in our government,

by electing Democratic candidates, mobilizing the overseas vote.”

"A Global Force: Democrats Abroad Leading the Way"

Lucia J. Perez Crespo-
Hernansaiz
Madrid-Chapter Chair
“Please remember to
register to vote!”
Welcome to All Members of Democrats Abroad
Madrid!
Is so nice to be here with ALL the DA Madrid
members, sharing stories and experiences of our
lives in the “Old Continent”.
For some members, it is the first time you are
experiencing living overseas, for others is an
added opportunity to further your professional
careers. Whether looking for a retirement
destination, or looking to forward your field of
practice and/or education, Spain is one of the
favorite destinations for Americans living abroad.
Our Executive Committee (ExComm)was recently
elected last March 2023. Our positions are held for
a period of two years. All of our positions are
strictly volunteer. We are honored to hold such a
great responsibility
The best part of becoming a part of Democrats
Abroad is meeting so many wonderful Americans,
who continue to strive in defense of freedom,
democracy and equality. Regardless of the
challenges that any nation may experience, the
concept of the “free world” is something not many
people have experienced in the world.
During the past months, we prepared to attend the
Gay Pride March held this past July, where
Democrats Abroad marched in favor of gender
equality.
We organized a picnic for the 4th of July, an
opportunity to share our traditions. We had a
delicious potluck with the traditional BBQ chicken
and hotdogs, potato and pasta salads, and an array
of delicious desserts!

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 MADRID Issue No.1 – July 31, 2023

(Continued from Page 1)

Additionally, we had the honor to have a special guest speaker
event, as part of our monthly “Meet and Greet” activities. Ms.
Alana Moceri, International Relations Professor at IE
University offered a talk ahead of the July 23rd elections.
August is just around the corner. Many members will be taking
a break, however, for those who are staying during August, we
have scheduled a nice lunch opportunity at the Raimunda
Restaurant at Recoletos 2, just inside the garden of Casa
America,
Please come and join us for beer, glass of wine, water, and
some tapas to share next Saturday August 12 at 2:00 PM. We
will be sending an e-mail shortly. Please RSVP if you are
interested in having some fun in the shade!
 We register Americans to vote abroad.
 We help Americans abroad vote in U.S. elections.
 We protect the right to vote for Americans abroad.
 We work with US government officials and elected
representatives to advocate for issues that concern
Americans abroad
 We work with the broader Democratic Party to achieve
our goals.
 We build communities of like-minded Americans around
the world.
 We help elect Democrats in every congressional district
in the U.S.

Lastly, I would like to encourage our 2000+ members on the

opportunities ALL can experience by volunteering in order to
make our organization THRIVE! Our strength is in numbers. It
is Election year and we are hoping to demonstrate that
Democrats Abroad in Spain Rock!!

Thank you for keeping up with me throughout our updates. It

Raimunda restaurant!!!!!!!

The Latest Updates-GAY PRIDE Madrid March- July 2023

Unforgettable experience! Once again, DA Madrid said “PRESENT” in favor of gender equality!

From the Desk of our DA Madrid Secretary

Hello Members of Democrats Abroad Madrid!

I am Susan Lefler. I am the secretary for the Madrid Chapter of Democrats Abroad
Spain. When someone in the Madrid area joins Democrats Abroad I get a notice that we
have a new member in our group.

When we have an activity, email notices go out to all members in our Madrid chapter. We
are glad you are all here and we will be doing more and more activities as we approach the
Susan Lefler-Secretary DA Madrid 2024 elections.

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DEMOCRATS ABROAD 4 of July Celebration
“Feeling at home in Madrid”
From the Desk of our DA Madrid Vice-Chair
Maggie Zelonis-DA Madrid Vice-Chair
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MADRID Issue No.1 – July 31, 2023
th
What does it mean to be a patriotic
and proud American in Madrid?
Being a patriotic American in Madrid
means embracing the diversity of our
country and sharing our diversity with
our host country by celebrating the
American values of freedom, equality
and democracy with All citizens in
Madrid.
Moreover, being a patriotic and proud
American in Madrid, means finding
ways to celebrate our national
holidays and traditions, whether
through gatherings with other
Americans for the 4th of July,
Thanksgiving dinner or watching the
Super Bowl at a local sports bar, as
well as registering to vote- a proactive
way to keep the values of democracy
close to our hearts by helping our
leaders keep those principles alive.
Being an American in Madrid is being
ambassadors of good will in our host
city, while simultaneously exercising
the right to voting from abroad.
Welcome to ALL members of DA Madrid!
Hope everyone is having a great summer! I'm excited that we are already working
hard to ensure that Democrats Abroad members turn out in full force for the 2024
elections.
The Vice-Chair has been focused on supporting the organization of chapter events
and helping maintain our social media accounts active (please follow us on
Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter if you haven’t done already!)
I am also working on compiling a list of potential venues for future events, so if you
have any suggestions, please send those our way. We are especially looking for
places where we might hold debate watching gatherings in 2024.
Lastly, the Vice-Chair is participating in a working group with colleagues from other
DA Spain chapters to begin preparing for the Global Presidential Primary, through
which DA members can vote for the Democratic nominee for President. While this
will take place sometime from now (March 5-12), there are quite a few logistics that
we need to begin working on this fall.
Our Special Speaker of the Month
Spain voted on July 23rd, and Democrats Abroad Madrid were
very excited to have participated in our current event, where
we learned about the Spanish Elections from DA Madrid
member Alana Moceri. Alana is an international relations ana-
lyst, writer, and professor at the IE School of Politics, Econom-
ics and Global Affairs. She teaches and writes about public di-
plomacy, global governance, electoral campaigns, public opin-
ion, disinformation campaigns and grassroots and transna-
tional activism with a focus on the U.S., the EU, and Spain.
Alana was the Founding Chair of DA Madrid back in 2004 and
then served as DA Spain Country Chair from 2006-2009.
 MADRID Issue No.1 – July 31, 2023

From the Desk of our DA Treasurer

Treasurer’s Update
Dear Democrats Abroad Madrid Members and Supporters,

Join Us for many Exciting Live Fundraisers and Boost Democrats Abroad
Madrid Impact Online!

I’m excited to share some fantastic news that will help us take our mission to increase
Democratic voters to the next level!

Consistent and sustainable support is the backbone of any thriving political

Kerry Holleran - Treasurer
Democrats Abroad Madrid Team
organization, and we are thrilled to announce the launch of our new online recurring
contributions campaign. Recurring contributions play a pivotal role in helping us
coordinate events, help fund our GOTV efforts here in Madrid, and help us pay for
digital advertising, among other things.

Online Recurring Contributions: Empowering Our Future

To make a recurring contribution to DA Spain:

1. Visit the DA Spain website at https://www.democratsabroad.org/donate_es

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS 2. Click on the Donate to this Country Committee blue button.
RAISED OVER $ 72 MILLION 3. Select your desired donation amount.
DOLLARS WITH THE DNC 4. Select the monthly amount option.
SINCE HIS RE-ELECTION BID 5. Complete the quick and secure payment process.
IN APRIL.
The success of Democrats Abroad Madrid is a result of your tireless efforts and
contributions. Whether you join us for one of the live fundraisers, become a recurring
donor, or volunteer your time, every act of support moves us closer to our goals,
marching forward together, unifying our commitment to progress and positive change.

We will begin recognizing our sustaining donors at our events. Please join the club!

Upcoming Live Fundraisers:

We are working on two exciting live fundraisers in September and October and one
online fundraising event.

Wine Tasting Extravaganza: Sip, swirl, and savor as we invite you to a delightful
wine tasting event where you can explore several wines while connecting with like-
minded individuals who share your passion for progress.

Halloween Costume Party: Get ready to show off your creative and spooky side
with our first annual costume party and contest.

Halloween On-line Pumpkin Pie Recipe Competition- For those who cannot
attend the “Live” meetings, we are launching our first on-line contest. We will send an
e-mail explaining the contest rules. Once the contestants enter their recipe, there will
be buttons where you ALL can vote for the winning pumpkin pie!

Let’s have Some Fun!

"Navigating the Political Landscape”

From the Desk of our GOTV Spain Chapter Chair/Madrid

Get Out The Vote!

Talking points of the month
OHIO voters are reminded to send back their ballots for the August 8th special election, if you
haven’t already done so. We urge you to vote NO on issue 1.

If you are already a registered OH voter you have until Aug 1st to request you absentee ballot by
email. Any doubts call your local election official. Contact details at:
www.votefromabroad.org/OH (continues in Page 5) Jim Mercerau-GOTV-Spain- Chair

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 MADRID Issue No.1 – July 31, 2023

The OH Secretary of State announced recently

that over 700,000 signed petitions have been DA Madrid is launching a
received which assures that the Constitutional
Amendment for abortion will be on the November massive voting assistance
ballot. If you missed the registration deadline for
this special election go to volunteer recruitment strategy!
www.votefromabroad.org to request you ballot
for the November election.

The No. one issue 1 in the August 8th has already

provoked a massive turnout that will assure that
the efforts of the Republican legislature to change
the threshold to pass the amendment from 50 to
60% bill be defeated.
The full story is here:
https://eu.dispatch.com/story/opinion/editorials
/2023/07/10/state-ohio-issue-1-pros-and-cons-
editorial-dispatch-august-8-special-election-who-
supports-abortion/70373807007/
Abortion will also be on the ballot in Florida in
November 2024 if sufficient signatures are
received. Florida voters are urged to go to:
Sign the petition to put abortion on the ballot!
floridiansprotectingfreedom.com
DeSantis and the FL legislature making it more
difficult for overseas Americans to vote. Being
registered and voting in the last election no
longer means that you get your ballot
automatically for the next election. You are now
required to register and request the ballot in the
calendar year.
50 STARS FOR 50 STATES
Supporting our Spain Team achieve one DA ABROAD
SPAIN representative for every state.
Madrid shows to have the largest number of voters in Spain.
If you would like to become a “STATE STAR”
Go into the Democrats Abroad Website. Look for your state
and register!
https://www.democratsabroad.org/state_teams
Using Interactive maps like this one below can have us updated
in how the states are performing overtime.
Additionally, you will have the opportunity to contact your
Congressman, Senator or Representatives with issues affecting
your State-communities, as well as issues that Americans
experience when living abroad.
If you decide to become a STAR and you belong to the
Madrid Chapter, please contact:
Lucia J. Perez- Madrid Chapter Chair

Making voting harder is the objective of the
Republican controlled state legislatures. Not
impossible but sometimes requires more steps.
Democrats Abroad has started building state
teams to help voters with issues peculiar to
various states.
Web Page to the interactive map page:
INTERACTIVE MAP URL:
https://www.270towin.com/maps/consensus-2024-presidential-
election-forecast
Webpage: https://www.270towin.com/

Check it out
https://www.democratsabroad.org/state_teams
Insert the two letter abbreviation for your state,
like FL, OH, WI

Follow us in Facebook and Instagram

Democrats Abroad Madrid

Much more news to follow!

Have a GREAT SUMMER!

Thank you for your support!

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