This is a reminder to all who are eligible to vote in the U.S. General Elections on November 2, 2010.
Although every election is very important, this election may have been one of the most important elections in our lives. Never in any U.S. elections before so many campaign ads were aired mongering fear against Islam or Muslims. This year, Republicans have crossed all limits. They are openly bashing Muslims and Islam to get more votes in elections.
In response, it is a must for all American Muslim voters to Get Out the Vote (GOTV) against these racists and bigots. It's our job to make sure that nobody who bashes Islam or Muslims get in any public office.
In order to achieve this target, we must make sure that every eligible American Muslim voter go out to vote for Muslim friendly people.
There are at least eight things that you can do in this regard:
1. Vote Early: Early voting helps avoiding last minute hindrances in voting. It has already started in some states. Please check in your state and take advantage of these two weeks by taking as many voters to the polling stations as possible. Go for voting in groups. This way you will be able to pull those who otherwise may never go.
2. Create Sample Ballots: Please use online resources like http://www.evoter.com/ to create sample ballots for your neighborhoods and distribute them in your communities. Make sure to select right judges for your courts, since the name of judges do not appear with their party affiliations. It's important for people to know their candidates before they enter their polling station. Generally, each county's website now offer such electronic resource. Your party's local website will guide you about the judges affiliated to them in your district.
3. Call Your Friends and Family: Please make sure to call every eligible voter on your phone list and remind them to get out to vote.
4. Spread this Message: Please forward this message through email to all your personal contacts. Please DO NOT POST IT on any non-profit organization's list serve. It will create a problem for their tax exemption status.
5. Friday Khutbas and Announcements: Ask your imam to address this topic in Friday khutbas before elections. They can talk about GOTV while educating the community about bigotry and racism toward Muslims during this election.
6. Walk and Talk: Please identify neighborhoods with more Muslim population. Walk around those neighborhoods and talk to people personally. Make sure to distribute sample ballots while visiting them.
7. Ride to Vote: In densely populated, low income neighborhoods you may also organize ride to vote services. This will encourage several people to get out to vote.
8. Make Dua: Please make special duas (prayers) for this country and for the outcome of these elections.
For more information please check following useful links:
Early voting has started in Ohio on September 28, 2010.
To avoid any last minute hindrance in voting, please plan to vote early along with your friends and family. For your convenience, I have created Sample Ballot for Hilliard and Dublin areas. You may request a sample ballot for yourself by contacting me at zabid@ohiomuslims.org.
Although most races mention party affiliations on the ballots, Judiciary candidates appear without any party affiliations. For your guidance, I have created another document that has names of all judges that we should be voting in different districts in Franklin and Delaware counties of Ohio. You may also request this document at zabid@ohiomuslims.org.
Location: 280 E Broad Street in downtown Columbus, OH.
Time: Monday, October 11 – Friday, October 15 — 8AM – 5PM
Although every election is very important, this election may have been one of the most important elections in our lives. Never in any U.S. elections before so many campaign ads were aired mongering fear against Islam or Muslims. This year, Republicans have crossed all limits. They are openly bashing Muslims and Islam to get more votes in elections.
In response, it is a must for all American Muslim voters to Get Out the Vote (GOTV) against these racists and bigots. It's our job to make sure that nobody who bashes Islam or Muslims get in any public office.
In order to achieve this target, we must make sure that every eligible American Muslim voter go out to vote for Muslim friendly people.
There are at least eight things that you can do in this regard:
1. Vote Early: Early voting helps avoiding last minute hindrances in voting. It has already started in some states. Please check in your state and take advantage of these two weeks by taking as many voters to the polling stations as possible. Go for voting in groups. This way you will be able to pull those who otherwise may never go.
2. Create Sample Ballots: Please use online resources like http://www.evoter.com/ to create sample ballots for your neighborhoods and distribute them in your communities. Make sure to select right judges for your courts, since the name of judges do not appear with their party affiliations. It's important for people to know their candidates before they enter their polling station. Generally, each county's website now offer such electronic resource. Your party's local website will guide you about the judges affiliated to them in your district.
3. Call Your Friends and Family: Please make sure to call every eligible voter on your phone list and remind them to get out to vote.
4. Spread this Message: Please forward this message through email to all your personal contacts. Please DO NOT POST IT on any non-profit organization's list serve. It will create a problem for their tax exemption status.
5. Friday Khutbas and Announcements: Ask your imam to address this topic in Friday khutbas before elections. They can talk about GOTV while educating the community about bigotry and racism toward Muslims during this election.
6. Walk and Talk: Please identify neighborhoods with more Muslim population. Walk around those neighborhoods and talk to people personally. Make sure to distribute sample ballots while visiting them.
7. Ride to Vote: In densely populated, low income neighborhoods you may also organize ride to vote services. This will encourage several people to get out to vote.
8. Make Dua: Please make special duas (prayers) for this country and for the outcome of these elections.
For more information please check following useful links:
Get Out the Vote, Columbus
Early voting has started in Ohio on September 28, 2010.
To avoid any last minute hindrance in voting, please plan to vote early along with your friends and family. For your convenience, I have created Sample Ballot for Hilliard and Dublin areas. You may request a sample ballot for yourself by contacting me at zabid@ohiomuslims.org.
Although most races mention party affiliations on the ballots, Judiciary candidates appear without any party affiliations. For your guidance, I have created another document that has names of all judges that we should be voting in different districts in Franklin and Delaware counties of Ohio. You may also request this document at zabid@ohiomuslims.org.
Location: 280 E Broad Street in downtown Columbus, OH.
Time: Monday, October 11 – Friday, October 15 — 8AM – 5PM
Monday, October 18 – Friday, October 22 — 8AM – 5PM
Monday, October 25 – Friday, October 29 — 8AM – 7PM
Saturday, October 30 — 8AM – 4PM
Sunday, October 31 — 1PM – 5PM
Monday, November 1 — 8AM – 5PM
More Info: Why should I vote? Islamic reasoning of voting in America by Dr. M. N. Tarazi.
http://ohio.evoter.com/ (Great resource for Sample Ballot Creator for CA, MN, IL, OH, PA, MD, and DC)
Questions: For more help in this regard, you may also contact me at zabid@ohiomuslims.org
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