Floridians in Europe watch their votes count

Americans abroad are finding their votes taking center stage in the U.S. election controversy

By Jim Bittermann, CNN Correspondent

PARIS, France (CNN) -- Election after election, Americans voting from abroad have gathered together to watch from afar as their countrymen back home determined who their leader would be. But this time their mail-in ballots, often ignored in the past, are crucial -- because Floridians overseas, whether in business or in the military, in school or in retirement, may well decide the election.

"For the first time in my 20-some-odd years of voting I have actually felt where my vote could make a difference," said Charles Eitel, a Tampa, Florida, businessman on sabbatical in France who voted for Bush.

"A lot of people made fun of me (saying) just because I am here abroad my vote doesn't really count and that they only take into consideration the local vote," said Vivian Medina, a student at the American University of Paris from Miami, Florida, who voted for Gore. "I said, 'Well, you never know, you never know if my vote's going to count.' And guess what -- they're wrong!"

Some say conventional wisdom could be wrong about something else -- that expatriates tend to vote Republican.

VIDEO U.S. expatriates are relishing their new importance this election. CNN's Jim Bittermann is in Paris (November 15) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Charles Zewe talks with a Miami-Dade County elections official about the ballots (November 15) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

"If I believed that, I would not have spent the last year actively campaigning for Al Gore and Joe Lieberman," said Joe Smallhoover of Democrats Abroad. "We believe that in fact the overseas population is pretty much a mirror image of the population back home in the United States."

Democrats argue that traditional voting patters were different this election for any number of reasons. The military population overseas has been in steady decline to the point where one American in 15 who lives overseas is in the services. What's more, while the turnout overseas has traditionally been low, this year there was much interest in the campaign and much campaigning by both Democrats and Republicans abroad to get out the vote.

Republicans do not disagree with that, but they point to their polling data.

"Our organization in Washington, Republicans Abroad, put out a press release estimating that 61 percent of overseas Americans who voted will vote Republican this time," said Robert Pingeon of Republicans Abroad.

No matter the outcome of the vote, expatriates believe this election has raised their profile in Washington.

"I hope this celebrity will have an effect that will go beyond current events in the sense that it should emphasize the numbers and importance and some of the roles of Americans overseas," said Tom Rose of the Association of Americans Resident Overseas.

So while watching from afar as their nation divides may not be a pretty sight, it may ultimately have its advantages for those Americans who live and work abroad.

Overseas ballots trickle into Florida counties before Friday deadline
November 15, 2000
Punch-card ballots notorious for inaccuracies
November 15, 2000

Democrats Abroad
Republicans Abroad International
AARO - Association of Americans Resident Overseas

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