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Arab American Institute Announces Absentee Ballot Campaign for Democratic Caucus

Posted on Monday January 12, 2004

Initiative Part of Community’s Larger GOTV Efforts

Dearborn – Today, January 12, the Arab American Institute’s Michigan office announced its absentee ballot campaign ahead of the Feb. 7 Michigan Democratic Caucus. AAI will be distributing 15,000 applications for absentee ballots from the Democratic Party beginning today. Community leaders are currently working with organizations across the state to make sure that the applications are distributed in mosques, churches, Arab American neighborhoods and at community events.

“It’s all part of our overall 2004 strategy. Arab Americans have always demonstrated a higher level of political activity than the average American, but after 9/11, we witnessed an even greater level of interest. The issues that were once seen as Arab American—things like civil liberties and Middle East policy—are now the concern of every American and we have the experience here. In order to capitalize on it, we are doing all we can to make sure that every eligible voter participates, whether it be the Caucus or Election Day,” said Fay Beydoun, AAI Michigan Director.

Not only will the absentee ballots be distributed across the state, but the Arab American Institute is also planning trainings sessions to be held at mosques, churches and other community meeting places on the absentee ballot process and caucus activities. Sessions are currently planned for Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Flint, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Southfield, Ann Arbor, Sterling Heights, Hamtramck and West Bloomfield. A quick “Q&A” fact sheet has been designed in Arabic to answer community questions and the Michigan State Democratic Party will have Arabic ballots available. This will be combined with an extensive email/web effort to encourage community members to vote online for the caucus.

These training sessions follow previous Arab American caucus/delegate trainings held in Dearborn and Lansing this winter. One such session was conducted after a citizenship swearing-in ceremony—bringing new Americans into the caucus process. “In all, I’d say we will have prepared 200 Arab American trainers on the caucus process by the time we are through. These people will be able to bring community members into the process, creating a multiplying effect,” Beydoun added.

To help build Arab American caucus turnout, AAI is working with the Michigan based Arab American cable network, TV Orient, to organize interviews and appearances with the Democratic State Chair Mark Brewer and the directors of the state presidential campaigns.

Caucus efforts will culminate with an Arab American GOTV rally on February 4 in Dearborn at the Henry Ford Performing Arts Center. AAI President, and DNC Executive Committee Member Dr. James J. Zogby will host the rally. Democratic State Chair Mark Brewer will be on hand that day to collect absentee ballots and the Michigan directors of the presidential campaigns will make one last pitch for their candidate before the Michigan Caucus. Many of the presidential campaigns have hired Arab American outreach staff who will also be on hand to encourage their supporters to get-out-the-vote.

A 2000 Zogby International poll shows 88.5% of Arab Americans are registered to vote, making them a critical constituency, especially in Michigan which is home to the most concentrated Arab American community in the nation. The Michigan Democratic Party estimates 400,000 voters will participate (online, mail, in-person) in the caucus. In recent months, AAI has registered hundreds of new Michigan voters as part of its overall 2004 effort.