Estimates range from six to seven million Americans live abroad (including military). If just 80% of them are of voting age, that's fourFIVE million votes. The campaign hasn't publicized it much, but Obama's is the first campaign to ever have campaign staff working abroad. He has "precinct captains" appointed in several countries, including Great Britain, France, Canada, and the far east.
To help rake in these votes, Democrats Abroad has just produced a new ad on the internet. Video after the fold.
Yes, that's Gwyneth Paltrow in the video!
Remember, there are potentially FOURFIVE MILLION votes hanging around out there. Only 23,105 of them voted in the primary election - overwhelmingly (65.8%) for Obama.
According to the Huffington Post:
.. there are a variety of roadblocks, from the legal to the superficial, that dissuade people from registering. There were approximately 1 million requested ballots for the 2006 midterm election and more than 6 million estimated Democrats abroad.
If that gap can be closed, even slightly, it could be a boon for Obama. According to the group, four of the biggest swing states -- Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania -- receive among the highest number of requests for overseas ballots.
If any of you have friends living abroad, send them the video and this link to get registered and get a ballot.