YALLA VOTE ‘08 Our Voice. Our Future.

Can I get a round of applause for Florida? We really care about who our 27 electoral votes go to this year, and it shows!

So many people have turned out for Early Voting in the first week that Governor Crist has ordered a statewide extension of Early Voting hours. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm through Friday, October 31, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 am on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 pm on Sunday, November 2, 2008 (hours vary by county).

Keep up the good turnout Florida!!! And if you haven’t made it to the polls yet, you’ve now got even more time to get there.  No excuses, yalla vote!

-Mia

Saturday was an exciting day for me as I opened the mailbox. No bills! But there was something in there. My sample ballot arrived from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections, Bill Cowles. That little green envelope brought back memories from the days when I was actually excited to get mail. For a moment I was taken back to the third grade, when I would anxiously await letters from my penpal in Seattle.

So what is this sample ballot I speak of? The sample ballot is just that. It’s a sample of the ballot you will have to fill out when you go to vote. Useful right? I thought so! Who knew I would have so many choices for Soil and Water Commissioner! Getting the sample ballot before the election helps you to do research on offices that you may not have known about and decide who you want to vote for. There are loads of offices and amendments on the ballot, but with the sample ballot, you can fill in your choices ahead of time and use it as a guide at the polls. Also, if you’re voting early, you can use the barcode on the back for “express” voting. I’m not really sure how it will expedite things, but I’ll know tomorrow when I go to vote!

Yes, that’s right. Early Voting has already started in Florida! From Oct 20-Nov 1 you can cast your ballot at any of the local library branches. Check out the Orange County Votes homepage for Early Voting locations in Orlando. Yalla Vote will be out at the Southwest Branch on Saturday (Oct 25), so come out, say hi, learn how you can get more involved in getting other Arab Americans out to the polls, and of course VOTE!

And don’t forget, a great way to help make our voice heard this election is to call other Arab Americans and remind them to vote. It’s easy and convenient and has a huge impact, so sign up now at www.aaiusa.org/volunteer.

In conclusion, the time is now. Early Voting locations throughout Orange County are open from 10am-6pm Monday through Saturday. The Supervisor of Elections office on West Kaley St. is open on Sunday from 10am-4pm. Make your voice heard!

National Field and Political Coordinator Maram Abdelhamid has been traveling lately. This past weekend took her to Florida, where Dierdre Connor of the Florida-Times Union caught up with her. “Arab Americans Get out the Vote” is a nice piece, with some good facts about Arab Americans in Jacksonville.

How are you planning to get out the vote in your community?

With all the media attention on Obama and McCain, sometimes we forget that voting means more than just selecting our next Commander in Chief. In the American three branch system, who we elect to the legislature is just as important as the executive and judicial branches. They all have to work together to make changes. Moreover, for many Americans, your local representatives have just as much of an impact on their lives as those at the top.

Although the Presidential Preference Primary in Florida has passed, there are still other candidates to choose in many Congressional Districts throughout the state. In the eighth district, there are seven candidates: five democrats and two republicans. Many other districts throughout the state also need to decide who their candidates for the General Election will be.

If you are not registered to vote in Florida, or you would like to change your party affiliation to vote in the Primary Election, the deadline to do so is July 28. The Primary Election will be held on August 26, 2008.

Between now and then, I recommend checking out the Florida Division of Elections’ website to check out the candidates in your area. And remember, this is OUR voice, OUR future.

-Mia

On Saturday Night, June 28th, the Moroccan Congress of USA held their “Unite Tonight” for Obama event at Shiraz Grill in Orlando. The event was spearheaded by Jamila “Mimi” Chami, who is the director of the Moroccan Congress in Florida.

There was great Iranian food, live music, and of course, sheesha. The Moroccan Congress event at Shiraz was a great time to talk to the community about their political interests and get them to sign the National Declaration.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Moroccan Congress, click here to visit their website. Or, send me an e-mail and I’ll get you hooked up with the right people (after recruiting you as a volunteer of course :)).

And, for those of you who are SO sad that you missed this event, don’t worry… I’ll be having a meet and greet event on July 19th. Details to come soon! Yalla VOTE!!

P.S…. Let’s hear from the REPUBLICAN side of the aisle soon, ok? If you’re a Republican organizing in Florida, I’d love to hear from you and help you get out the vote!

-Mia

At least in Orlando…

Hours and hours of internet research, driving around, and talking with Arab Americans in the community have led me to produce “THE MAP.” THE MAP features Arab American businesses, Mosques, Churches, Halal grocery stores, and Hookah spots. As you can see from the image below, we’re EVERYWHERE!

And thus continues the daunting task of visiting them all, and finding more along the way.

-Mia