Responding to emigrant voting report published by “K” on 01/18/2023which highlights the difficulties in implementing the relevant law, two Greek immigrants from USA, Dr. Georgios Laskarisnuclear physicist, business consultant and n Venus Vinegar, an engineer as well as a business consultant, both of the founders of the new Desmos Policy Institute, sent specific proposals for better informing Greeks abroad. Two expatriates offer ten concrete ways – channels of information – to help efforts to help Greeks abroad vote in national elections in their place of residence succeed. As they note, most of their proposals can be implemented free of charge, and three of them “are measures with a small budgetary cost, but which can make a huge difference in the final number of registered voters.”

It is worth noting that so far the number of Greeks abroad who have registered on the platform and whose application has been approved does not exceed 4,000 people.

The exact number of Greeks who are abroad and could, based on the provisions of the law, from afar participate in these national elections is not known. However, according to official figures, 12,000 Greeks from different European countries voted in the last European elections.

1. Email out expatriate voting information to all DOU taxpayers abroad.

2. Preparation of a list of all Greek student and academic organizations in Europe and North America so that students, researchers and teachers can be informed by email. (The preparation of the register of Greek scientists, which was announced some time ago, could have helped most if it had been completed).

3. Sending outreach materials to approximately 1,500 expatriate communities in North America and approximately 1,000 Greek communities in Europe for distribution to their members.

four. Renewal of suffrage through the Church, which has the most extensive network of Greek Orthodox communities worldwide and maintains detailed records of local parishioners (who are also financial subscribers in the case of the US and Canada).

Activities with little or no cost that can make a difference and make the job of expatriates much easier.

five. Compilation of a list of all Greek schools in Europe and North America so that parents of students can be informed by email.

6. Order on the registration of employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs working in embassies and consular offices.

7. Order on the registration of employees of the Ministry of Defense living and studying in allied countries, as well as employees of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, seconded to educational institutions abroad (the two above-mentioned actions will help to recruit at least 40 voters required by law to establish polling stations around the world ).

8. Fixed-term recruitment of employees familiar with new technologies, who, in agreement with the embassy and consular authorities, will continue to be up-to-date on Greek communities and registration on voter lists abroad.

nine. Creation of a field service center that will work 24 hours a day throughout the planet and will help to quickly and efficiently solve problems with registration.

10. Place an advertising campaign about emigrant voting based on the determination of the Internet address (IP) of the user on all sites of public organizations, banks, and not just journalistic organizations, as was done in the past.

A good start

As the executive director and deputy director of the Desmos Policy Institute notes, “facilitating the suffrage of Greek citizens living abroad is a good start for the organic connection of the diaspora with the Greek state. This right, which is the result of a broad political consensus, must be protected and strengthened. The practical implementation of any new law does not happen immediately after its adoption, especially when it takes time to inform citizens about its content. Therefore, we invite the Greek government to use modern technological tools to inform expats everywhere and to fully comply with the law. We also encourage expat Greeks to apply at www.apodimoi.gov.gr to vote in their place of residence.”