The following publicity materials may be modified and used by local communities to publicize Eid ul-Adha and voter registration drives associated with Eid. When modifying the news releases, include references to local activities and contact information for local spokespeople. Send to the newspaper “city editor,” television station “assignment editors” and radio station “news directors.” Just call each media outlet to get the contact information. Also send to the “daybook editor” at the nearest Associated Press bureau.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Contact CAIR Governmental Affairs Coordinator Hasan Mansori at [email protected] or 202-646-6039 to let CAIR know about local voter registration efforts.
CONTENTS:
– Prayers, Voter drives mark end of hajj in U.S.
– Partial List of Voter Registration Drives
– Reasons Why Muslims Should Vote
– Who May Register to Vote?
– Step-by-Step Guide to Voter Registration
– Sample Eid Voter Drive Media Advisory
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 1/27/2004
– MEDIA ADVISORY –
PRAYERS, VOTER DRIVES MARK END OF HAJJ IN U.S.
Muslim communities to register voters at Eid celebrations
WHAT: On Sunday, February 1, Muslims in America will mark the end of the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, with communal prayers and celebrations at locations around the country. Many Muslim communities will also hold voter registration drives at end-of-Hajj festivals. (For more information on the local voter drives, contact CAIR Governmental Affairs Coordinator Hasan Mansori at: [email protected] or 202-646-6039.)
The prayers, and the holiday that follows, are called Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha), or “festival of the sacrifice.” Eid ul-Adha commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God’s command. The holiday is celebrated with the prayers, small gifts for children, distribution of meat to the needy and social gatherings. During this holiday, Muslims exchange the greeting “Eid Mubarak” or “blessed Eid.” Each year, some two million Muslims, including thousands of American Muslims, go on Hajj.
WHEN: Sunday, February 1 – The prayers are held in the early morning. Many communities also hold day-long Eid festivals for families.
WHERE: The Eid prayers and festivals are held either in local mosques or in public facilities designed to accommodate large gatherings. Call local Muslim organizations for details about Eid celebrations.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Each year, Muslims from America and many different countries come to the prayers in colorful dress. The prayers themselves are quite visual, with worshipers arranged in neat rows and bowing in prayer in unison. Participants exchange embraces at the conclusion of the prayers.
NOTE: Because this is a religious service, reporters and photographers of both sexes should dress modestly. That means no shorts for men or short skirts for women. Some communities may ask female reporters and photographers to put a scarf over their hair while in the actual prayer area. Photographers should arrive early to get into position for the best shots. Photographers are also advised not to step directly in front of worshipers and to seek permission for close-up shots. Shots of shoes removed for prayer, and rear-angle shots of prostrating worshipers, are considered inappropriate and clichéd.
– END –
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PARTIAL LIST OF VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES
WASHINGTON STATE
The Seattle Center Exhibition Hall Seattle, Washington
Exhibition Hall, 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA
Contact: Michaela Corning, 206-465-0977
TEXAS
CAIR-DALLAS/FT WORTH
LOCATION: FAIR PARK
Contact: Amina-Marisol Rojas, 972-241-7233
Islamic Center of San Antonio
8638 Fairhaven
San Antonio, TX
210-614-0989
Contact: Sarwat, 210-494-4129
NEW YORK
Islamic Center of Long Island
835 Brush Hollow Rd. Westbury, New York
Contact: Ghazi Khankan 516-729-8754
Islamic Center of New York
1711 3rd Ave.
New York, NY 10029
Contact: Firdos, 212-870-2002
FLORIDA
C. B. SMITH PARK (Pavilion No. 15)
900 N. Flamingo Rd., Pembroke Pines, Florida
Contact: Altaf Ali or Lubna, 954-916-5661
NEW JERSEY
The Hilton at Hasbrouck Heights
650 Terrace Avenue/ Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604
Ramada Plaza Hotel
3050 Woodbridge Avenue/Edison, NJ 08837
RexPlex Center
Exit 13A NJ Turnpike/ Elizabeth, NJ 07201
Contact Faiza Ali
MISSOURI
Medina Mosque
Chippewa & Kings Highway
Millenium Hotel
Contact: James O. Hacking, (314) 602-3794
ILLINOIS
Meridian Banquets
1701 Algonquin Rd, Rolling Meadows, IL
Contact: Dawood Khan, 847-975-7009
MARYLAND
Islamic Center of Maryland
Gaithersburg, MD.
Contact: Ibrahim Moiz, 301-343-2924
TENNESSEE
Knoxville Muslim Community
Knoxville, TN
Contact M. I. Hussain, MD
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Anaheim Convention Center Hall
C 800 W. Katella Ave. Anaheim, CA
LA Convention Center
(213)741-1151
The Carson Community Center
3 Civic Plaza Drive, City of Carson
Masjed Omar Ibn Al-Khattab
1025 W. Exposition Blvd. LA, CA 90007
UC Riverside Student Recreation Center
Orange County Islamic Foundation
23581 Maderao Dr. #101 Mission Viejo, Ca 92691 (949)595-0480
Pomona Fairflex
1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona CA
Islamic Center of Temecula
42188 Rio Neda #A Temecula Ca 92590
(909) 296-6601
Pomona Valley Mining Co.
1777 Gillette Road, Pomona, 91768 CA
(909) 623-3515
Islamic Education Center of OC
3194-B Airport Loop Dr., Costa Mesa, CA
(714)432-0060
Crenshaw High School
52nd and 11th Avenue
Masjid Qurtabuh
1121 E. Huntington Dr. Monrovia Ca
(626)305-0077
Islamic Center of Corona/Norco
465 Santana Way 92881 CA
(909) 736-0893
CAIR Contact: Omar Zaki 714-776-1847
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
344 Tully Road, San Jose, CA 95111
Muslim Community Association
3003 Scott Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95054
Henry Kaiser Convention Center
10th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Contact Dahlia Eltoumi 408-206-1207 or Helal Omeira 408-476-7843
MICHIGAN
Flint Islamic Center
9447 Corunna Road, Swartz Creek, MI 48473
Burton Manor
27777 Schoolcraft Road,
Contact: Celena Khatib (248) 569-2203 or (734) 306-9507
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Reasons why Muslims should vote:
* Supporting accommodation of Islamic religious requirements in the workplace and in schools
* Creating a safe and drug-free environment for families
* Challenging discrimination and stereotyping
* Encouraging foreign and domestic policies that are based on justice
* Deciding how your tax dollars are used
To be eligible to vote, a person:
a) Must be a citizen of the United States
b) Must live in the state where he/she is registering
c) Must be at least 18 years old by the date of the next general election
d) Must not claim the right to vote in any other state
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How to conduct a voter registration drive
- Gather 2 to 4 members of the community to coordinate the drive.
- Choose the location of the event – a local mosque, community center or school are ideal
- Choose the date and time for the event – make sure that the timing is convenient, and fits into the normal schedule of the community. Eid ul-Adha festivals and prayers are the best opportunity in the near future.
- Call or visit your state election office for materials to be used in your voter drive. Call your county government administration for registration information. You can also do a www.google.com search using the term “voter registration in [your state].”
- Consider making the drive an event. Invite local and national candidates from all parties to participate in a forum at your mosque or facility to discuss the issues. At minimum, set up a voter registration booth after Jumah prayer or other community events.
- Inform the community about the drive. Announce the event at Jumah and other community activities. Distribute a flyer to advertise the registration drive.
- Contact the media in advance and let them know about the drive. Events of this nature are an excellent opportunity to obtain positive press coverage of the Muslim community. Contact CAIR for advice on holding a media event.
- Make sure you have enough registration materials. Keep track of how many voters you have registered.
- Conduct the drive. Make sure you have read all the instructions carefully, and help people in filling out the form.
- Follow up. Completed voter registration forms should be sent or dropped off at your state election office within a specified time period. Make sure to contact them afterwards to confirm that the registration forms were accepted.
- Be sure to write and thank speakers for attending. Thank the community for participating.
- Inform CAIR of the number of voters your organization registered.
What method can be used to return completed application(s)?
- Delivery through the postal system. The applicant can deliver the voter registration application through the postal system.
- Delivery in person. The applicant can deliver the voter registration application form in person to their local registration office.
- Delivery by a third party.
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Publicize your voter registration drive
The following media advisory may be modified and used by local communities to publicize a voter registration drive. Send to the newspaper “city editor,” television station “assignment editors” and radio station “news directors.” Just call each media outlet to get the contact information. Also send to the “daybook editor” at the nearest Associated Press bureau.
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[Insert Your Local Organization Name and Address Here]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
– MEDIA ADVISORY –
LOCAL MUSLIMS TO HOLD VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE
Effort designed to coincide with end-of-pilgrimage festival
WHAT: On [date in bold], the [location] Muslim community will hold a voter registration drive following Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha) prayers marking the end of the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj.
Eid ul-Adha, or the “feast of sacrifice,” commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God’s command. The holiday is celebrated with the prayers, small gifts for children, distribution of meat to the needy and social gatherings.
Festivals following Eid ul-Adha prayers draw thousands of Muslims in local communities and offer an excellent opportunity to distribute voter registration materials.
The voter drive is part of an effort coordinated by the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
There are more than [number] of Muslims in the [city name] metro area, an estimated seven million in America and some 1.2 billion worldwide. Demographers say Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in this country and around the world.
WHEN: [Insert date in bold here]
WHERE: [Name of mosque and street address]
CONTACT: [Group name or person, phone, fax, cell phone]
NOTE: Because the prayer portion of the Eid festival is a religious service, reporters and photographers of both sexes should dress modestly. That means no shorts for men or short skirts for women. Some communities may ask female reporters and photographers to put a scarf over their hair while in the actual prayer area. Photographers should arrive early to get into position for the best shots. Photographers are also advised not to step directly in front of worshipers and to seek permission for close-up shots.