Midterm melee: Americans in the Netherlands gear up to vote

Americans living in the Netherlands have taken notice of the US midterm elections approaching next month. With the United States facing a highly contentious election, the Dutch American community has been gearing up to vote and getting involved in the race. Donald Trump's divisive presidency and administration have disrupted global politics, and the outcome of the midterms could have significant implications for years to come.

Many Americans in the Netherlands are concerned about the voting process, as mailing in absentee ballots can be complicated. Each state sets its own deadlines and decides whether ballots can be sent by email, fax or post. Posting a ballot from the Netherlands to be counted adds an extra layer of complexity. Some Dutch Americans choose not to vote at all, feeling they have lived outside the US for too long to be eligible to vote in federal elections in the state where they last resided.

The Netherlands chapter of Democrats Abroad, a group dedicated to encouraging its members and other US citizens living overseas to cast their ballots, has been working to help voters. They have been running an email campaign, hosting Zoom gatherings, and organizing lunches, events and fliers in cities across the country. Over 13,000 people have been contacted in a recent effort to spread awareness.

Exact numbers of Americans living in the Netherlands who can vote are difficult to determine, as the US does not require citizens to register when they move abroad and some states track overseas voters inconsistently. The Dutch national statistics office puts the number of US nationals living in the Netherlands at just over 27,000 in 2026. However, not all are eligible to vote and Dutch-Americans with both passports are counted as Dutch, so are not included.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), a US defense department office that helps military and overseas citizens vote, estimates that about 2.2 million Americans of voting age live abroad. However, only about 11% of them voted in the 2024 presidential election. FVAP also says that fewer typically participate in midterms, with 14.8% of eligible voters in Europe voting in 2024.

Despite low approval ratings for Trump, a "blue wave" for Democrats may not come easily. The US administration continues to meddle with the midterms. In August, changes were made to the Federal Post Card Application form used by overseas voters to register and request ballots, removing a checkbox for US citizens born abroad and never living in the US.

This change was challenged in court by the Democratic National Committee. Additionally, Trump's executive order in March 2025 aimed to add proof-of-citizenship requirements to the same form, also blocked by federal courts. In June, the US Supreme Court ruled that states can count mail ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrive later. This ruling could impact voters sending international ballots.

The Netherlands chapter of Indivisible, another organizing group, is preparing for potential interference with ballot counts and increased government presence at polling stations. They are contemplating the possibility of mass peaceful protests or general strikes should the administration interfere with the election process. Several events are planned for the week of the midterm elections in the Netherlands, including a breakfast event in The Hague, a "Midterm Madness" party in Amsterdam, and a discussion featuring Mark Leibovich, a staff writer at The Atlantic.