The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced the release of its 2024 Maryland Primary Elections Congressional Voter Guide which is now available for download.
READ CAIR’s 2024 Maryland Primary Elections Congressional Voter Guide
The congressional voter guide is a public education resource developed with the goal of empowering voters to make informed decisions as they head to the polls during the upcoming Maryland primary elections on May 14. Early voting begins May 2.
It aims to empower voters to be civically engaged and make informed decisions as they cast their ballot by providing information on congressional candidates’ positions and views on key issues that interest and impact American Muslim communities.
“The timing of this primary election is crucial as we witness staggering violence and devastation in Gaza funded by billions of U.S. taxpayers’ dollars, as well as surging Islamophobia in our towns that jeopardizes our community’s safety and well-being,” said CAIR’s Maryland director Zainab Chaudry. “Our organization is dedicated to ensuring our communities can participate in the democratic process in a meaningful way. Our vote is a powerful tool that can influence the direction of U.S. foreign policy, including decisions around military aid and humanitarian assistance in conflict zones. By participating in these elections, we have the opportunity to hold our elected officials accountable and advocate for dignity, peace, justice, and human rights. We encourage voters to utilize this resource to educate themselves about the values and priorities of various candidates for office in Maryland.”
Maryland candidates pursuing congressional offices, who are leading contenders in their races, were asked ten questions on topics related to 1) foreign policy, 2) religious freedom, 3) islamophobia and education and 4) immigration. Every effort was made to be inclusive and to contact candidates via email and phone and obtain responses regardless of party affiliation. Candidates were provided approximately three to four weeks to submit their responses.
The survey led with the first question seeking to understand the candidate’s position on a ceasefire in Gaza.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@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, CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com