Americans in Philippines may vote in Democratic primary

As part of the effort to promote greater participation in the US presidential election by Americans living outside the United States, the Democratic Party is currently holding its first global primary for US voters overseas.

The May 1-6 Democratic 2012 Global Primary allows for voting in person at 91 voting centers in 33 countries.

In the Philippines, the voting center will be open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 6 at Murphy’s Irish Pub, Citiland Condo III, 105 VA Rufino St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

“Our overseas vote is having a greater and greater impact on US election results,” said Ken Sherman, an American living in Canada. “We are reaching out to US citizens in every corner of the world to join us and vote. Our votes make a difference in close elections.”

The worldwide vote will determine the election of 17 delegates who will attend the Democratic National Convention along with 8 DNC members on Sept. 3-7 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The delegates will be elected from the May 1-6 Voting Center elections and the May 18-20 Global Convention to be held in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

American citizens living overseas who want to vote in the Democratic Global Primary must be members of Democrats Abroad (and cannot have voted in a state primary this year), or may join by April 30 at www.democratsabroad.org in order to secure an absentee ballot. Ballots can then be requested from Democrats Abroad at [email protected]. If voting in person at a voting center, one can register at that time.

Voting in the US Democrats Abroad Global Primary does not entitle overseas US voters to vote in the US presidential election. To vote in the US presidential election in November, overseas voters must request a ballot from local voting authorities in the place where they last resided in the US.  Voters can register now at www.VoteFromAbroad.org. Guidance will be provided at the Global Primary Voting Center. For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call 6316260.