Portland Press Herald, “Groups hope to boost Muslim voter registration with events in Portland and Lewiston”
By Rachel Ohm Staff writer
Friday, September 15th, 2023
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Jabir Ali has never voted before, so when the 21-year-old saw an opportunity to fill out a voter registration form outside the Maine Muslim Community Center Friday, he stepped up.
“I said why not take advantage of this opportunity?” Ali said.
In a matter of minutes, he had completed the postcard-sized form and returned it to organizers from the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center and the Maine Muslim Community Center, who planned to take it to Portland City Hall.
The groups held a voter registration drive Friday to mark National Muslim Voter Registration Day and encourage Muslims in Portland to get out and vote. Similar events were held at the Lewiston & Auburn Islamic Center and Kennedy Park in Lewiston.
Two other community groups – Community Organizing Alliance and Generational Noor – also worked on the event, and the groups got support from the national organization My Muslim Vote, which was holding voter drives around the United States Friday.