Democrats Abroad gains prominence

LONDON, March 16 (UPI) -- Democrats Abroad is exercising its increasing strength and popularity by playing an active roll in this year's U.S. presidential race, a report said.

Democrats Abroad, an official branch of the Democratic Party with members in more than 100 countries that refer to themselves as the "51st State," has become increasingly involved in the race for delegates and debates about who will be the Democratic nominee, The New York Times reported Sunday.

In all, 22,715 Democrats in 164 countries voted in the primaries this year when the Democratic National Committee hosted its first "Global Democratic Primary," which allowed overseas Americans to cast votes by mail, fax or Internet.

"When we held a primary, it meant that everyone met in a pub or a bar and cast a vote. With the historic nature of the campaigns and the closeness of it, we've changed the way we operate," Democrats Abroad U.K. Chairman William D. Barnard said.

Democrats Abroad will have control of 11 delegate votes at the Democratic National Convention in August.