Eventually, George W. Bush and the Republicans were declared the winners of that state (and thus the Presidency) by a mere 537 votes. The 2004 election also promises to be a close race, with several key swing states likely making the difference in the presidential race. And this is where Canada comes in.

U.S. election law permits any American citizen, living anywhere in the world, to vote in his/her last state of residence by absentee ballot. With an estimated 400,000 eligible American voters living in Canada, and given that, in the 2000 election, six U.S. states were decided by less than 7,500 votes, a healthy turnout of American voters here could make a big difference in 2004.

On the weekend of February 13-16, Democrats Abroad Canada (DAC) is holding Voters Registration Weekend to register Americans so they can vote in the 2004 presidential election.

Joe Green, Chair of DAC, is quick to point out that Voter Registration Weekend is not so much about finding potential Democrat voters as it is about finding Americans period. "Our number one priority is to make sure we get as many Americans as possible registered to vote. Of course, if the majority of those Americans happen to sympathize with our desire to see George Bush defeated in November, we're certainly not going to argue."

But can these voters in Canada, no matter which party they support, actually make a difference in 2004? Consider these facts from the 2000 election:

" 6 states were decided by less than 7,500 votes.

" 5 other states were decided by less than 50,000 votes

" 6 U.S.-Canada border states are expected to be swing states, meaning they could go to either party

" If the majority of eligible Americans in Canada were to vote, it would be a larger turnout than 8 states and the District of Columbia in 2000

"There are no reliable statistics in Canada that accurately reflect distribution of American voters by (U.S.) state," said Robert Bell, past DAC Chair. "But chances are many of the Americans living here are from key battleground states like Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Washington, and that increases the likelihood that Canadian voters will have a real impact on who wins the U.S. Presidency in 2004."

For more information on voting by Absentee ballot in the U.S., visit:

www.ca.democratsabroad.org

In Toronto, DAC will be registering American voters at New City Hall (main floor), Queen Street West at Bay Street on Friday, February 13 from 10-3, Saturday, February 14, from 10-2 and Monday, February 16 from 12-5.

Democrats Abroad Canada, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, is one of 37 Democratic country committees worldwide operating under the umbrella Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA). The DPCA is the official Democratic Party organization that serves some six million American citizens who live in countries outside the United States. The purpose is to educate Americans about the U.S. overseas political process and help them register to vote in Federal elections. Membership in DAC is open, free of charge, to any U.S. citizen residing in Canada.

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