New Election Website Aims to Mobilize Muslim Voters

June 30, 2020 - National

By Jade Esteban Estrada - Political Columnist, San Antonio Sentinel

On Tuesday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, launched muslims.vote, its new 2020 election and voter mobilization website. 

Part of the organization’s nonpartisan Muslims Vote campaign, the website is designed to empower American Muslims by increasing their political capacity and presence in the 2020 general election.

CAIR estimates over 1 million registered American Muslim voters in the United States, with large communities residing in key swing states. The group’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims, according to a press release received from CAIR.

“With just over 120 days before the general election, America’s more than one million Muslim voters are actively mobilizing and plan to turn out in record numbers,” said CAIR Director of Government Affairs Robert S. McCaw. “CAIR’s website muslims.vote is designed to enhance Muslim civic engagement and to better equip the community to support the candidates that best respond to our needs and concerns.”

The muslim.vote website includes a 50-state guide on voting by mail for the November 3 general election. State by state, the guide provides a list of upcoming election dates, details whether an excuse is needed to vote absentee, and deadlines for requesting and submitting absentee ballots. Information about voter registration, vote-by-mail, absentee voting, voting locations is also included. 

The website also offers suggestions of questions Muslims can ask of candidates running for office and poll and survey data on what other Muslims think about refugee resettlement, healthcare reform, climate change, raising the minimum wage, and ensuring affordable housing. In the coming weeks, website will feature a general election presidential voter guide and congressional scorecard. In August, CAIR also plans to publish a comprehensive national pre-election survey of Muslim voters’ views and attitudes.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the website also encourages Muslims to practice social distancing and participate in state primary elections and the general election by taking advantage of the early voting by mail or vote-by-mail alternatives. 

Early voting started Monday in Bexar County and runs through July 10. The runoff election is July 14. 

In Texas, the vote-by-mail situation is bleak for people under the age of 65 who are concerned about Covid-19 infection at the polls.

RELATED: Super Wednesday Morning: 2020 Primary Election Results

Under Texas State law, in order to qualify for vote by mail, an individual must be 65 or older, disabled, out of the country during early voting and on Election Day or in jail, however, still eligible to vote. 

The definition of the word “disability” in the Texas Election Code is “a sickness or physical condition that prevents the voter from appearing at the polling place on Election Day without the likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring the voter’s health.” 

Earlier this month, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the fear of catching the coronavirus at the polls cannot be defined as a disability. 

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request by Texas Democrats to expand voting by mail to all Texas voters, regardless of age, amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Best bet: Texas voters will be able to distance themselves from others during early voting when the lines are shorter or, in some cases, nonexistent. Voter apathy suddenly has a silver lining.

Here are the candidates participating in the July 14 runoff:

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

United States Representative, District 20

• Mauro Garza

• Gary Allan

United States Representative, District 23

• Raul Reyes

• Tony Gonzales

United States Representative, District 35

• "Guillermo" William Hayward

• Jenny Garcia Sharon

Member, State Board of Education, District 5

• Robert Morrow

• Lani Popp

Bexar County Commissioner, Precinct 3

• Tom Rickhoff

• Trish DeBerry

Bexar County Republican Party Chair

• Cynthia Brehm

• John Austin

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

United States Senator for Texas

• Royce West

• Mary “MJ” Hegar

Texas Railroad Commissioner

• Chrysta Castañeda

• Roberto R. “Beto” Alonzo

Texas State Senator, District 19

• Roland Gutierrez

• Xochil Peña Rodriguez

Texas State Representative, District 119

• Jennifer Ramos

• Elizabeth “Liz” Campos

Bexar County Commissioner, Precinct 1 

• Sergio "Chico" Rodriguez

• Rebeca “Becky” Clay-Flores

Bexar County Constable, Precinct 2

• Ino Badillo

• Leticia R. Vazquez

Bexar County Constable, Precinct 4

• Kathryn Brown

• Mike “Chief” Ramirez

Bexar County Democratic Party Chair

• Monica Alcántara

• Grace Rose Gonzales

Bexar County Precinct Chair, Precinct No. 1003

• Roberta Nina Hassele

• Juan Diego Medina

Precinct Chair, Precinct No. 1021

• Rosa Vasquez Sanchez

• Elizabeth F. Limon

Precinct Chair, Precinct No. 1087

• Diana Espinoza

• Esmeralda Rodriguez

Precinct Chair, Precinct No. 2029

• Rocky Aranda

• Stephanie A. Perez

Jade Esteban Estrada is a political columnist at the San Antonio Sentinel. He can be reached at jade@sasentinel.com.