Note from Rafik Beekun: Please note that during the Bush-Gore battle in Florida for the U.S. President’s Office, many said that it was the Muslims in Florida who provided Bush with the margin of victory that he needed–notwithstanding the merits of his presidency. Even though, according to some accounts, Muslims consist of only 6-7 million Americans, our vote counts–whether you are a Republican or a Democrat. So please register and vote if you want to have a voice in the future of our country.
Action Alert: CAIR Launches Eid Voter Registration Drive
American Muslims asked to register to vote at Eid al-Fitr events
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/26/08) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today urged American Muslims to register to vote at events nationwide next week on the Eid ul-Fitr holiday marking the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan. [The Eid ul-Fitr is expected to fall on October 1 this year.]
CAIR encouraged mosques, Islamic centers and others hosting Eid celebrations to include voter registration tables at those events. CAIR’s Civic Participation Handbook contains a step-by-step guide to holding a voter registration drive, as well as practical advice on a number of civic engagement activities. To view the entire handbook, click here.
CAIR is urging Muslims to focus on three major activities in the days leading up to this year’s presidential election:
1) Register to vote or make sure your registration is current. Options for registering online include the following:
- National Voter Registration Form
- Democratic Party Recommended Method for Registration
- Republican Party Recommended Method for Registration
2) Volunteer to assist the campaign of the candidate of your choice. Campaigns always need volunteers to post signs, make calls and help with other activities. Many current congressional staff got their start by taking this simple step. Enter the candidate’s name into a search engine and visit their site for information on how to connect with the campaign. Alternatively, enter the name of the party you support and your state into a search engine and locate the phone number of the state party.
3) Donate to the candidate of your choice. Any candidate for public office will have an easy way for you to donate on their campaign site. Simply enter their name into an internet search engine and visit their campaign site.
To help keep voters informed, CAIR maintains a website dedicated to Muslims and the 2008 election. The site contains key news relating to Muslims, op-eds, synopsis of presidential candidate positions, results of polls of Muslim voters and the names of Muslims running for public office.
To view the CAIR election website, click here.
The site also contains voter guides for each state. To view the voter guides, click here.
“Voting is one of a responsible citizen’s primary duties,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “American Muslim voters, particularly those living in key battleground states, have the opportunity to cast important individual votes in the selection of the administration that will lead our nation for the next four years.”
CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
The Islamic Workplace 
Posted on September 26, 2008
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