AAI launches voter information hotline
In the final days before the Nov. 8 elections, the Arab American Institute has launched a Hotline for Arab American voters who may have questions or issues at the polls. As many of you may realize, this is the first presidential election without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act and we want to be sure our community’s voters have what they need.
By Ray Hanania
The Arab American Institute and American Arab activist Jim Zogby has been the leading force in empowering Arabs and Muslims in the country’s election system.
It launched the highly successful “Yalla Vote” campaign in the 1990s to encourage American Arabs to register to vote, and Zogby has been actively involved in helping to balance the platform agenda of the Democratic National Committee including int he most recent DNC process.
Now, the AAI and Zogby have put together a new initiative to provide information and assistance to American Arabs through a new hotline at 1-844-418-1682 in which American Arabs can call to get help in dealing with voting impediments.
The American Arab community continues to grow, despite still not being fully recognized by the U.S. government and their voter empowerment is nurturing strength.
Here is the release from AAI about the new hotline that American Arabs and Muslims should put in their cell phones on speed dial:
With high concentrations of Arab Americans living in some of the largest and most electorally significant states, we know our community can make a difference. Yet with the 2016 Election being the first Presidential Election in 50 years without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act, many states have changed their voting requirements – in some cases suppressing and disenfranchising voters. To make sure our community’s voice is heard, AAI is launching a #YallaVote Hotline, 1-844-418-1682, to respond to community questions and concerns.
If you have a voting question prior to Election Day you may call the #YallaVote Hotline at 1-844-418-1682 and leave a message with your name, phone number, and question. We will return your call within one to two business days. On Election Day the Yalla Vote Hotline will be live from 6AM – 11 PM EST, ready to assist as voters have questions or issues casting their ballot.
We at the Arab American Institute are doing our part to ensure that Arab Americans are registered, organized, informed and ready to cast their ballots on November 8th (or before in states with Early Voting). If you are interested in joining us in this effort, you can train to become a #YallaVote Hotline volunteer by contacting Nadia Aziz at naziz@aaiusa.org.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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