Are you a U.S. citizen and want to vote in the November election? Here’s how to do it in Cuenca

By Stephen Vargha

With a heated political season upon us, many U.S. citizens in Cuenca are concerned about their voter registration. Others want to register to have their voices heard on November 5.

Sharon Burns is helping people, no matter their political affiliation, with their voter registration and ballots request.

Then, there are those who are concerned about being eligible to vote this November.

“I just wanted to make sure my registration is up to date,” said Jolene Wilson-Glah. “This is the most important election ever.”

The native of New Hampshire and Cuenca resident has legitimate concerns as news reports concerning voter registration seem to be almost a daily thing.

More than a million ineligible voters have been removed from Texas voter rolls since Senate Bill 1 was signed into law in 2021, according to an August 26th news release from Gov. Greg Abbott. About half of the voters removed have died, requested to be taken off, or are living in another state.

In early-August, the Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration announced that tens of thousands of registered voters who had updated or changed their information may not have had those updates made.

Democrats Abroad has been busy registering expats as well as requesting ballots. They are at La Yunta Restaurante on Tuesdays and Fridays to assist people.

And in Ohio, two non-profit organizations have been pushing the state’s Secretary of State since July to confirm people aren’t being improperly removed from the voter rolls after updating their address.

Then there are scammers wanting to steal information, especially in the election season. Greensboro, North Carolina Mayor Nancy Vaughan received a text that stated records show she was not registered to vote and to go to a website to correct it.

“Please be aware that there are forces (foreign and domestic) that want to disrupt our elections and cause chaos,” said Mayor Vaughan on Facebook. “Never respond to a text like the one I received below. You will not get a text, email or call about your registration status.”

Ellie Wallis, Chair of Democrats Abroad Ecuador (Left), assists Deb Davis with her registration and ballot request.

“We are getting a lot more people to register than two years ago,” said Jo Ellen Kuney.

“We have two registrations per week at La Yunta and we are averaging eight people per day,” said Ron Ortiz Dinkel

Kuney and Ortiz Dinkel are involved with Democrats Abroad Ecuador, the official country committee of U.S. Democrats living in Ecuador. It is part of the official organization of the Democratic Party for U.S. citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad.

“D.A. is the largest American organization outside the U.S.,” said Kuney.

Barry Snyder focuses on his voter registration. The November election is very important to Snyder.

The GOP used to have a similar organization called, Republicans Abroad. That organization was dissolved by the party in 2013.

Based in Indiana, Republicans Overseas was created as a 527 political organization in 2014 by Oregon Republican National Committeeman Solomon Yue, replacing Republicans Abroad.

Kuney knows the history of Democrats Abroad as she is the Founder and Former Chair of the Ecuador branch of the organization. Being in politics for a good portion of her life in San Francisco and Washington, DC, including working for Sen. Alan Cranston (D-CA), Kuney founded the Ecuadorian committee nine years ago.

Screenshot of a text concerning voter registration that is a scam. The mayor of Greensboro, NC received this one and warned her citizens.

“I still remember being on the global meeting where they voted to add Ecuador,” said Kuney. “Little by little we have been plugging along. We are a small country.”

Democrats Abroad is treated as a state at the Democratic National Convention. When the roll call was made to nominate Vice-President Kamala Harris, Californian Martha McDevit-Pugh of the Netherlands voiced the votes for Democrats Abroad.

The 100 percent volunteer-run organization, with active chapters across six continents, mobilizes the overseas vote. Estimates show there are at least 9 million U.S, citizens living abroad, including members of the U.S. military.

“Our priority is getting people to vote,” said Kuney. “We have a challenge with no mail service in Ecuador. Some states require that ballots be mailed.”

No matter one’s political affiliation, one can register to vote and request a ballot through the Democratic National Committee’s website.

The Democratic Party is making a first-time investment in registering and turning out voters living outside of the United States. The party estimated that about 1.6 million U.S. citizens living overseas are from crucial battleground states.

Political experts believe there are only seven states (battleground states) that could plausibly be won by the Vice-President or former President Donald Trump: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

In early-August, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced it was investing $300,000 to reach these voters, both military and non-military. The DNC said the investment is its first in a presidential cycle.

“We got a little bit of money for Facebook ads, promoting the candidates and registering people to vote,” said Kuney.

Jolene Wilson-Glah (Left) wanted to make sure her registration was up to date, so she came to Democrats Abroad for assistance.

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) requires state election officials to send ballots to eligible voters at least 45 days prior to each federal election.

Democrats Abroad helps people of any political affiliation to register to vote. Two years ago, several Republican voters in Cuenca registered with Democrats Abroad.

While 47 percent of the overseas military voted in 2020, only eight percent of non-military voters living outside the United States cast a ballot in the race between Joe Biden and Trump. Non-military turnout in the 2022 Congressional midterms was abysmal with only 3.4 percent, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

“I want to vote. I moved from Oregon, where I was registered for the 2020 election. I want to email my ballot back,” said Barry Snyder.

Democrats Abroad volunteers assist Cuenca expats register to vote.

The Oregonian was very adamant about who he was voting for. He is one reason Democrats Abroad has been helping more people in the last five weeks.

McDevitt-Pugh told CBS News that since President Biden withdrew his candidacy on July 21, there has been a 100 percent increase in U.S. citizens abroad registering to vote and requesting their ballots through their votefrombroad.org website.

“We have been busy,” said Kuney. “We did an outreach program in Vilcabamba in mid-August. Two people drove all the way from Loja to register because it was so important to them.”

Earlier in August, Democrats Abroad Ecuador drove nine hours north to Cotacachi because there is a good-size expat community there.

“We registered enough people there to make it worthwhile,” said Kuney.

“I have used Democrats Abroad twice before,” said Deb Davis. “This is a very important election for our country.

A native of Colorado, Davis has lived in Cuenca for nine years. She showed up at the August 27 registration to request a ballot for the November elections. That ballot has to be mailed back to her state.

“I registered today and asked that a ballot be emailed to me,” said Wilson-Glah. “I have to mail my ballot back. I will be in the U.S. on the 20th of September, so I can mail it then.”

Upon hearing that her friend, Wilson-Glah, was going back to the U.S. in late-September, Davis asked her to take her ballot back, too.

In 2020, about 40 percent of states required overseas ballots to be received by election day, while the rest had deadlines after election day but had to be postmarked by then. States like North Carolina have changed the law since then, requiring ballots to be received by the time the polls close.

For those who do not have the luxury of being in the U.S. prior to election day to mail their ballots, the U.S. Embassy in Quito will send a diplomatic pouch to Democrats Abroad in late-October to ship all of the ballots back to the United States. If one misses that pickup, it may be too late to get the ballot back in time to be counted.

In the meantime, one can go to the southwest side of Cuenca on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to get everything straightened out for November, followed by a delicious lunch in the main room of the restaurant.

Another “vote overseas” option for expats is the U.S. government-sponsored Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP). According to its website, “FVAP works to ensure Service members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens are aware of their right to vote and have the tools and resources to successfully do so — from anywhere in the world.”

Ryan James is the Cuenca FVAP voting assistance officer and is helping U.S. expats through September at d’Mousse Bakery, Edif. Fragata, Alfonso Moreno Mora 1-84 and Av. Solano, on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. FVAP can also be accessed online at FVAP.gov, by phone at 800 438 8683, or by email at vote@fvap.gov.

U.S. citizens living in Cuenca can also contact Republicans Overseas for voting assistance at republicansoverseas.com.
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Democrats Abroad Ecuador, https://www.facebook.com/DemsEcuador, Registration: Tuesdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., La Yunta Restaurante, Av. Primero de Mayo y Av. de las Américas, Cuenca, https://www.facebook.com/la.yunta.3

Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), FVAP.gov, Registration: Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at d’Mousse Bakery, Edif. Fragata, Alfonso Moreno Mora 1-84 and Av. Solano

Republicans Overseas, republicansoverseas.com

 Photos by Stephen Vargha

Stephen Vargha’s second edition of his book about Cuenca, “Una Nueva Vida – A New Life” is available at Amazon in digital and hardback formats. His award-winning blog, “Becoming Cuenca,” supplements his book with the latest information and hundreds of professional photos by him.