Streamlining Voting by Mail
Postal Voting: Strengthening Greece’s Connection to Its Diaspora
The Deon Policy Institute is dedicated to helping Greece successfully implement its new postal voting system for citizens living abroad. This landmark change offers more than just a convenient way to vote—it represents a crucial step in reconnecting the Greek state with its global diaspora. By focusing on practical and effective measures, such as leveraging technology to identify expats, partnering with diaspora organizations, and simplifying registration, postal voting has the potential to empower Greek citizens worldwide. This initiative is more than a democratic milestone—it’s an opportunity to build a stronger, more engaged connection between Greece and its people around the world.
Proposal Overview
In December 2023, the Greek Government announced its intentions to introduce a postal vote for the upcoming European elections of June 2024. Greeks living abroad will only be able to vote through postal vote, meaning that they will no longer be able to vote in person in consulates and embassies. It is therefore very important to ensure that the new processes surrounding voting-by-mail reflect the realities of expat life around the world.
Deon Policy Institute drafted recommendations to increase voter registrations. There were four elements to that proposal:
Identifying the Greek Diaspora: Using technology tools to identify Greeks living in the US
Partnering with Organizations: Partnering with Diaspora organizations to disseminate information.
Advertising through ‘personalities’: Using famous Greeks of the Diaspora to advertise the newly establish postal vote right.
Registering by national ID or Greek passport number: Being able to use national identification to register, in addition to the existing option of using tax ID credentials.
Facilitating the right to vote for Greek citizens living abroad is the beginning for the organic connection of the diaspora with the Greek state.
Our recommendations have been implemented:
The Deon Policy Institute’s recommendations to boost voter registration among Greeks abroad are already delivering results. By simplifying registration through the use of Greek passports or national IDs, 7,460 people have successfully registered using these credentials. Overall, 50,000 Greeks living abroad have completed their voter registration, marking a 17.5% increase compared to previous years and accounting for 5% of total voter registrations.
These efforts not only ensure broader participation in the upcoming postal vote but also strengthen the connection between the diaspora and the Greek state, fostering a sense of inclusion and civic engagement.
Project Contributors
President of Deon Policy Institute
Executive Director of Deon Policy Institute
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Voting by Mail for Greek Diaspora: From Draft Law to Implementation
by Georgios Laskaris
The Greek government’s initiative to introduce postal voting for citizens abroad aims to make voting more accessible for the diaspora, allowing them to vote without being physically present in Greece. The proposal highlights the importance of using technology for registration and outreach, including collaborations with diaspora organizations. These efforts will ensure greater participation, fostering stronger connections between Greece and its global citizens.