Election Day, my friends. Time to get off your ass, find your polling place, and exercise your right to vote. It's not just votes for who will lead this country, but also for the issues and offices that affect you on the state and local level. If you don't think your vote matters, then you are dumb.
The cute Dragon Boy image above, created by artist Martin Hsu, is meant to encourage you to vote. If that doesn't compel you, here are some infographics about the Asian American vote, courtesy of 18 Million Rising.
As a voter, you have rights. Sometimes, it came be a complicated process, particularly if your first language isn't English. And when it comes to voting, you have a right to language assistance. It's important for our community to speak out if you encounter any problems at the polls.
To help Asian Americans vote, AAJC and APIAVote will be running an Asian-language Election Protection hotline, 1-888-API-VOTE (274-8683). on Election Day and the day before Election Day. The hotline will be live from 5:30am – 7:30pm today, November 6. They'll provide assistance in Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin, Thai, and Vietnamese.
Voters can call in with any questions they have about voting, or to report any problems at the polls. Questions such as, "where is my polling place?' and "what type of ID should I bring?" can be easily answered by hotline staff. There will also be trained staff on hand to address any problems that may arise.
For example, if you have difficulty with English, you have the right to bring a friend or family member into the voting booth to help you vote. However, not all poll workers may know about this right (as provided by Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act) and may wrongly turn people away. That is not right.
If a poll worker wrongly turns you away from the polls or refuses to allow you to vote with the assistance of your choice, call 1-888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) and they can help you address the issue. In fact, if anyone calls your eligibility to vote into question or tries to hinder your ability to vote for any reason, call 1-888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) and someone will be able to assist you.
