CAIR Announces Voter Protection Partnership with Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Non-partisan voter protection effort seeks to safeguard rights of American Muslims in 2016 election

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/7/16) –  The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced a voter protection partnership with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition.

The partnership will include CAIR offices nationwide and is designed to protect the voting rights of American Muslims as they head to the polls on November 8.

“This is one of the most contentious elections in American history, and we need to ensure that every voter can exercise his or her rights,” said CAIR-New York’s Director of Strategic Litigation Albert Fox Cahn. “We hope that voting will be completely uneventful, but we must prepare for any eventuality.”

CAIR is urging members of the Muslim community to contact the Washington-based civil rights organization if they believe their voting rights have been violated by calling 202-742-6420 or civilrights@cair.com. A Somali-language hotline will be offered by CAIR’s Minnesota chapter at 612-206-3360.

CAIR’s Civil Rights Department and national network of chapters will coordinate Election Day reporting to make sure complaints are addressed as quickly and effectively as possible. CAIR chapters will also be working in the coming days to educate Muslim voters about their rights on Election Day.

“The right to vote should never be denied or threatened on the basis of religion,” said Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “We are pleased to join with CAIR and our Election Protection partners to ensure that the voting rights of Muslim-American voters are fully protected this election cycle.”

CAIR’s voter protection partnership is just one effort the civil rights group is undertaking in advance of the election.

CAIR recently launched MuslimsGOTV.com, an election resource website that prominently features the group’s first ever “2016 National Voter Guide.”  CAIR’s voter guide offers resources to assist Muslims nationwide as they prepare to vote in the November election and includes a congressional scorecard and presidential voter guide.

In October, CAIR released the results of a nationwide survey of Muslim voters on the upcoming presidential election and on issues of concern to the Muslim community. The survey found that 85 percent of polled Muslim voters believed that Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. has increased in the past year. Moreover, 30 percent of respondents say they have experienced discrimination or profiling in the past year.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. 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.

La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.

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CONTACT: CAIR-NY Director of Strategic Litigation Albert Cahn, 571-766-6273, acahn@cair.com, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com