- Home
- Policy and Advocacy
- Voting Rights
Voting Rights
South Asian community members are engaging more actively in the civic and political process by voting; expressing views on important issues; supporting political campaigns; and running for office at local, state, and national levels. In fact, the community’s patterns of migration and naturalization indicate that South Asians are part of the increasing pool of new voters in the United States. However, many South Asian voters encounter roadblocks on the path to the election booth, including voter intimidation and harassment; insufficient bilingual materials and interpreters at the polls; and illegal voter identification requirements. Non-citizens also face unique barriers in terms of their ability to engage in activities other than voting. In an effort to ensure that voters of South Asian descent have full and equal access in the electoral process, SAALT coordinates and participates in various activities across the country. These include election monitoring efforts, exit polling of South Asian voters, and voter registration. In addition, SAALT advocates with federal and state governments regarding the provision of bilingual education materials in South Asian languages and adequate voter protection measures.
SAALT Resources on Voting Rights
- Elections 08': Know Your Rights on Election Day
- The 2004 Elections: South Asian Voting Trends and Patterns
- The 2006 Elections: South Asian Voting Trends and Patterns
- Citizenship Brochure(English)
