The highest concentration of Americans in Germany can be found in Berlin. Estimates vary, as many move to Berlin for just short periods of time, and those with dual citizenship are not registered as Americans. But, in all, some 18,000 eligible American voters live in the capital city. At Democrats Abroad, we are working to register as many of them to vote in the upcoming election as possible. But first we have to find them.

Berliners are creatures of their Kiez habitats. The Kiez refers to a small community within a neighborhood. Berliners report being sooner willing to move abroad than relocate to a new Kiez. So this year, we at Democrats Abroad – Berlin have launched a new initiative: the GOTV Kiez Captain (or Kiez Käpitan, for the alliteratively inclined). Our goal is to make sure that in the months ahead, we cover as much geographic territory as possible. We think our Kiez Captains can help make this possible.

What does a Kiez Captain do?

  • Identify three “lit drop” locations. These can be bars, cafes, stores, cultural centers, etc. Anywhere you know Americans like to go, and which gets good foot traffic. We’ll provide you with Vote From Abroad business cards that list the steps necessary to register to vote. Check in periodically to see if more cards are necessary.
  • Identify and organize one GOTV registration booth in your Kiez. Perhaps there’s a street fest or a farmer’s market that you enjoy going to? We’ll provide training, materials and help identify volunteers.

Where we need people

We’ve got Zehlendorf as well as parts of Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg, and Wilmersdorf. If you’re interested in becoming a Kiez Captain, sign up on this list. If you don’t see your Kiez, email us at gotvBerlin2016@gmail.com

As we near the campaign, we’ll also be launching phone-banks to ensure that everyone in our database is registered to vote, and to urge them to vote for Democratic candidates in the upcoming election. If you would like to get involved with phone banking, please email us at gotvBerlin2016@gmail.com.