DAN Board Elections 2011
Dear DAN member,
Firstly, happy Thanksgiving!
Secondly, it’s election time for DAN and we want you to help us form the new Board! You can contribute by either casting your vote or nominating yourself for a position.
The current Board was elected by you in January 2009 for a two year term making January 2011 the start of the term for the new Board.
The Board of DAN is comprised of five positions on the Executive Committee and six Committee Chairs. The Executive Committee consists of: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Legal Counsel. Self nominations are required to run for these positions by using a form to be posted on www.democratsabroad.no on December 2nd.
Once elected, the Chair appoints Committee Chairs in operational positions to assist in running DAN activities. The Committee Chairs established in 2009 were: Webmaster, Membership, Events, International, Communications and Promotion. Please contact Secretary@democratsabroad.no if you are interested any of the Committee Chair positions.
HOW will the elections be held?
Elections will be held electronically. On January 13th you will receive a ballot in the mail which can be returned:
1) Electronically (scanned)
2) By post
3) Delivered in person at the Annual meeting on January 27th in Oslo (place to be announced at later date).
WHAT are the deadlines for the election process?
• December 2nd – Members alerted of nomination form on web and process
• January 13th – Deadline for nominations and ballots sent to membership
• January 14th – Voting begins
• January 27th – Annual meeting where ballots are counted and announced
HOW will nominations take place?
The voting is based on self-nominations. If you are interested in running for office, please complete the nomination form to be sent out on December 2nd. You are required to submit your name, position running for, and a maximum of 1000 words on why you are the best candidate for the position. This information will be posted on our website for all members to view.
HOW can I nominate myself for a Committee Chair position?
The selection of Committee Chairs is based also on self-nominations. If you are interested in any of these positions please contact Secretary@democratsabroad.no with a short overview of what position you are interested in and why. The process for appointing Committee Chairs will be announced in January 2011.
WHAT are the job descriptions for the Board or Executive Committee ?
Job descriptions can be found in the by-laws on our website – www.democratsabroad.no on §4.3-4.7.
WHY is your vote important?
As stated in our by-laws, we have to reach quorum for our election to be valid and this will require votes from at least ten percent of the verified DAN membership.
WHEN do we announce the new Board?
We will count the votes at our annual meeting on January 27th and announce the new Board. Results will be posted on our web-site following the meeting.
WHAT will happen at the Annual meeting on January 27th?
The Annual meeting will be open for DAN members only and the agenda is as follows:
a. Review of the last 2 years activities
b. Inputs from Board road ahead
c. Count of ballots for Executive Committee
d. Announcement of new Board
Your participation in this election is important, so please remember to cast your vote and let us know if you are interested in serving on the new Board!
Best regards,
Lisa Cooper
Chair, Democrats Abroad Norway
Mid-term debate!
1. Opening statements: 5 minutes for each panelist
The goal of the opening statements is to give the audience a short overview about the main differences between the two political parties. Key points that we would like to have each party’s comment on during this phase is:
– The state of the economy: What does your party intend to do with, for example, the budget deficit ?
- Foreign Policy: Especially Afghanistan and China: Is diplomatic talks with the Taliban an option ? How do the US manage an ever-growing China?
- Any special differences between the parties that you would like to present. (the opening statement is a good forum to present a question that you want to discuss in more detail during the debate part!)
2. Debate. Will last for 25 – 30 minutes
The debate will start by a question from the moderator, which he will decide when hearing the opening statements. The main goal of the debate is to highlight the different political views of the parties, drawing from the main differences presented during the opening statements. The moderator will open the debate, but during the discussion you will be able to talk more freely, and present new questions that you would like the other party to answer. We don’t have a complete list of strict questions that we will ask during this part, but questions that will certainly come up, and which you will be asked to discuss in more detail are:
- The economy:
- How to handle the budget deficit ?
- How to stop unemployment from rising further, and just as important, how to create new jobs?
- The Stimulus package. Did it work ? what could have been done better ?
- Healtcare:
- Did the reform work?
- too expensive ? expanding the state too much/ too much regulation ?
- Foreign policy
- Relationship with China: Dove or Hawk policy ? is toll barriers an option to protect US jobs/products ?
- What strategy to use in Afghanistan ?
The role of the moderator during this part will be to create a discussion. Not just asking each panelists a row of questions for which to answer.
3. Questions from the audience. approximately 30 minutes, depending on the amount of questions
– after the debate part, we will take a short break for 5 minutes, and during this time the audience will be able to sign themselves up to a list, and ask questions to the panelists.
4. Closing statements. 2 minutes for each panelist
– In this part we would like you to present reasons for why your party is best suited to run the country/win majority.
- Keep it short and simple. hopefully we will have discussed the issues in more detail during the debate part.
Steven Hill event webcast on Sept. 24, 2010
The Steven Hill event was an exciting presentation and was webcasted to the world succesfully on Sept. 24, 2010. To see the webcast, just select the video from the library of Democrats Abroad Norway previous webcasts below.
ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO REGISTER!
JOIN THE DEMOCRATS ABROAD POLITICAL VISIONARY EVENT!
Where else can you:
- Take part in an all-you-can-eat buffet!
- Have the chance to win a weekend for two at the Grand Hotel – and many other prizes!
- Hear one of the political visionaries of our time – Steven Hill!
- Mingle with fellow Americans and make new friends!
So make an evening of it! Join us on Friday, September 24 from 1800-2000 at the Rica Victoria Hotel.
* Register here on the Democrats Abroad site and pay the low cost of NOK 275 in advance to
Account no. 1202 43 07571 to help us track participation. Please bring receipt to the event.
We at Democrats Abroad will also be raffling off other fine prizes:
- A weekend for two at the Rica Victoria Hotel
- Two Ski VM tickets for March 3 at 1700
- Obama T-Shirts
- A sterling silver malachite Peace Dove Pin
- Greg Mortenson’s book, Thee Cups of Tea
- And of course, a copy of Steven Hill’s new book, Europe’s Promise
As a lead-up to the vital upcoming American mid-term elections on November 2nd, DA Norway is hosting Steven’s visit and also making voter registration help available for all U.S. citizens attending the talk.
So Join us! Don’t miss the opportunity to hear one of the most original political thinkers of our time
According to the influential Financial Times: “Steven Hill is a lucid and engaging writer. He makes you sit up and think.”
He is on an 12-nation European speaking tour that includes Hungary, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece and Istanbul.
Steven Hill European Speaking Tour and All-You-Can-Eat Buffet (Oslo, Norway)
As a lead-up to the vital upcoming American mid-term elections on November 2nd, Democrats Abroad Norway is hosting American Political Analyst & Author Steven Hill’s visit to Oslo — and is also making voter registration help available for all U.S. citizens attending the talk.
The event begins with a reception, canapés and the chance to mingle with fellow Americans – followed by a talk by Steven Hill and an interview session with questions from the audience.
Where is the enlightened government and forward-thinking leadership of the 21st Century most visible?
In Europe — according to American political analyst Steven Hill in his new book Europe’s Promise: Why the European Way Is the Best Hope in an Insecure Age.
As a lead-up to the vital upcoming American mid-term elections on November 2nd, Democrats Abroad Norway is hosting Hill’s visit and also making voter registration help available for all U.S. citizens attending the talk.
In Europe’s Promise, Hill chronicles and illuminates a European revolution that is proposing a bold, new vision at a crucial juncture in global affairs.
Steven Hill is the former director of the political reform program at the New America Foundation and co-founder of FairVote. He is a visionary American political analyst, activist and author of four books.
Steven Hill is on an 12-nation European speaking tour that includes Hungary, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece and Istanbul.
For a decade, Steven Hill traveled widely to understand the European Way (including two previous speaking tours for Democrats Abroad).
Hill arrives in Oslo on Friday, 24 September, and will be speaking at the Rica Victoria Hotel at 1800 – 2000. Democrats Abroad Norway will be facilitating a Q&A session following his presentation. Hill will also be available for interviews before or after the speaking event.
The All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet includes:
Meatballs, buffalo chicken wings/blue cheese dip,chilipølser. mini fish cakes, samosas among warm choices and ham, olives, marinated champignonger, Tzatziki, green pepperoni fylt med ost, dips, assorted breads among the choices. Coffee or tea will be included with mini brownies…WOW!
Cost: 275 NOK, Students: 250 NOK
Register at www.DemocratsAbroad.no/Events
Betty Haugen wins voter registration raffle!
(Oslo, 19 August) Those of you who have been following our website know that we in Democrats Abroad Norway had a voter registration drive this June 2010.
Now we’d like to congratulate the winner — Betty Haugen! Betty won the Get Out the Vote 2010 Raffle –with a NOK 500 gift card as the prize. As with all the others entered in the raffle, she submitted the emails of five American friends living in Norway. This provides us a way to reach other Americans in Norway and assist them in registering to vote for the upcoming mid-term elections.
The winner was randomly drawn in July. The information gained will be handled confidentially and deleted on November 3, 2010 –right after the elections.
We send our thanks to Betty and everyone else who participated.
Democrats Abroad Norway is trying to reach as many Americans living in Norway as possible. No matter who you want to vote for in November, if you are an American living in Norway, we are happy to help you register so you vote.
YOUR CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
On November 2nd, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be up for election, as will 36 of the 100 seats in the Senate and 39 of the 50 state governorships. Many of these races will be close, and the campaign is already in full swing in the States.
Republicans are pushing hard to regain a majority in Congress. If achieved, there are threats to rescind important legislation like healthcare.
You have the right to vote, and your vote can make a difference. The absentee ballots from Americans abroad were the ones that decided the outcomes in 2006 in Virginia, in 2008 in Minnesota and in 2009 in New York.
So — ACT NOW! Register for an absentee ballot!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE JULY 4th WEEKEND?
The American Coordinating Council of Norway (ACCN) is arranging not one — but three days of events for meeting, greeting and networking with fellow Americans and America-fans! Democrats Abroad Norway will be there.
Each year the ACCN produces the ACCN Independence Day Celebration in Oslo on the weekend closest to the actual date. This year that means the event will take place on July 2-4. Democrats Abroad Norway is an active member of ACCN and the event.
CELEBRATING IN OSLO
On Friday a six hour event at the Grand Hotel will feature musical rhythms that will shake the soul (from 1600 to 2200).
On Saturday, an Arts and Entertainment Brunch at the Rica Victoria Hotel will feature Jazz and a Silent Auction (from 1300-1600).
And then on Sunday – the 4th of July — the signature event will be “The American Celebration” (from noon to 1700) at Frogner Park in Oslo. As always there will be all the ingredients of a wonderful 4th of July celebration:
- Sports,
- Children’s games,
- Great American food,
- Arts and crafts,
- Beautiful setting in which to celebrate.
And last but not least, lots of good, old-fashioned American hospitality.
DEMOCRATS ABROAD NORWAY WILL BE THERE
Do you want information on voter registration? Are there any specific questions you have about being an American in Norway? Or do you just want the opportunity to meet other Democrats and the chance to become a member? Then the ACCN Independence Day Celebration is the place.
Democrats Abroad Norway will be manning a tent at the ACCN Independence Day Celebration at Frogner Park on Sunday from 1200 to 1700. Join us there and exchange views!
REGISTER FOR THE EVENTS
Click on the link for the ACCN site for more information about events that help connect Americans in Norway to other Americans! You can also use the link to register for the events you wish to take part in.
4th of July 2010 Weekend Events!
You must register and pay – Go to www.accn.no – you won’t want to miss these events!
Enter a Raffle for a kr. 500 Gift Card
Help Democrats Abroad Norway get out the vote 2010.
Share the names and emails of five (5) Americans living in Norway, and your name will be entered to win a kr. 500 gift card. Send the names and email addresses to membership@democratsabroad.no.
The winner will be randomly drawn on July 1st. Information will be handled confidentially and deleted on November 3, 2010.
World Cup Soccer (Hard Rock Cafe, Oslo) – England v. USA June 12th 2010, 20:30 (8:30 p.m.)
Come watch the USA national team take on England in their first match of the World Cup tournament.
Venue in Oslo to be announced – check www.democratsabroad.no for more information. If you need voter registration assistance, we will be there to help.
World Cup Soccer – England v. USA June 12th 20:30 (8:30 p.m.)
Come watch the USA national team take on England in their first match of the World Cup tournament. Venue in Oslo to be announced – check www.democratsabroad.no for more information. If you need voter registration assistance, we will be there to help.