Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA)

It can be argued that more time is spent in DPCA meetings trying to interpret and apply Robert’s Rules of Order than to actually accomplish meaningful work. They can be and have been weaponized by a tiny minority, and no doubt will be weaponized again in the future if DPCA continues to govern itself using them. Indeed, for the governance of DPCA, one must question if Robert’s Rules are anti-democratic.

With this resolution, DPCA begins the process of implementing a governing structure that fosters constructive decision making, permits each and every member an equal opportunity to participate, and makes certain that actions truly represent the wishes of the membership.

A single, hybrid online/in-person annual meeting of approximately 20 hours in aggregate over three days, to elect officers, receive presentations, consider changes to the charter, consider resolutions presented by members, as well as any to conduct other business to come before the body, is inadequate and inefficient at best.

Requiring some members to attend through the middle of the local night is disrespectful, and one might argue, undemocratic. We need to make our meetings more effective. We have an obligation to be more respectful of our members’ time.

This resolution starts the process to look for a suitable alternative that better meets the needs of the DPCA.

Many critical political battles are now unfolding at the state level — over ballot access, voter suppression, and congressional representation — as federal gridlock and legislative rollbacks push more decisions to the states. For Democrats Abroad members living overseas, navigating 50 different sets of voting rules without adequate state-level guidance is a persistent and growing challenge.

Democrats Abroad previously employed a State Teams strategy that raised awareness of state voting processes, educated members about local issues, and built solidarity through state-focused infrastructure. This resolution revives and formalizes that approach by establishing a permanent Global State Outreach Committee — ensuring DA has the expertise, relationships, and continuity needed to protect overseas voters in every election cycle, on- and off-year alike.

The success of representative democracy relies on informed and engaged leaders who can openly exchange ideas and collaborate with one another. Democrats Abroad, as a democratic organization with duly elected leaders responsible for guiding the organization and its constituent Country Committees and Chapters, must ensure its leaders can easily identify, contact, and communicate with fellow elected leaders.

Despite the proliferation of various social messaging platforms, email remains the only "push" messaging tool that ensures distributed information is equally accessible to all DA leaders, does not rely on proprietary technology or paid services, and gives leaders full autonomy over their communications. Creating a shared DA Leadership Contact List and a leadership-wide email discussion forum would facilitate collaboration and strengthen DA's ability to reach Americans living abroad.

Democrats Abroad members live the consequences of U.S. foreign policy firsthand — in their host countries, among their neighbors, and within their communities. Yet the current Global Excom interpretation of DA policy has effectively imposed a broad prohibition on country committees and their leaders commenting publicly on U.S. foreign policy, a prohibition that goes beyond what the written DA Charter and Code of Conduct actually require.

The cost of this silence is measurable. During the 2024 presidential campaign, DA lost membership for the first time ever in a presidential election year, with many members explicitly citing dissatisfaction with DA's stance — or absence — on foreign policy issues. This resolution does not seek to override DA's charter or code of conduct; it calls on the Executive Committee to apply that existing policy accurately, while updating media training and establishing an advisory body to protect member safety in politically sensitive host countries.