OAKLAND—The Filipino Advocates for Justice (FAJ), a Bay Area organization dedicated to making social change and realizing democratic and human rights for all, is launching a new campaign to get Filipino and Fil-Am voters to get out there and vote in the upcoming November general elections.
The “Get Out the Vote” campaign is part of a statewide effort involving many government and non-profit organizations to educate and raise awareness of the importance of voting in US elections.
It focuses on Alameda County, where Filipino voter turnout is dangerously low (20 percent for the June 2014 primary) yet there are close to 29,000 registered Filipino voters. Alameda also currently has a 6 percent share of the overall California Filipino electorate, which makes up a growing 2 percent of the state’s registered voters, according to data.
“It is important that the Filipino community turns out to vote. A lot is at stake,” said Lillian Galedo, Executive Director of FAJ. “On the ballot are propositions that redirect funds to schools, reforms sentencing of low level crimes, and elects many important offices. We owe it to our children to use our vote to improve the quality of life for all.”
The campaign officially launched on National Voter Registration Day, Sept. 23, with both FAJ and the Alameda County Registrar of Voters (ROV) office encouraging voters to get out there and make a difference.
Ricardo Reynoso, a bilingual poll worker instructor from Alameda County ROV, made a special call to all Filipinos who speak Tagalog to become poll workers on Election Day.
“We need 6,000 poll workers!” he said in a press conference on Monday, Sept. 22. “More than ever, we need bilingual poll workers who are not only fluent in English but also in another language—Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer and Korean. These bilingual poll workers will assist voters having difficulty in the language.”
798 polling places will be set up throughout Alameda County on Election Day, and thousands are expected—and encouraged—to go vote. Poll workers have various responsibilities, from clerks to judges to inspectors who all assist in poll management, and some positions can earn up to $125-$190.
People are also needed to run the Return Centers where poll inspectors return the official scanned ballots and unused ballots once elections are closed. Captains who lead the Return Centers can earn up to $65, along with other smaller assistant positions.
All poll workers must be lawfully admitted US citizens and registered (or eligible to register) to vote. Good-standing students at least 16 years of age come Election Day and non-voters with Green Cards can also be eligible to become poll workers, though not Inspectors or tally-counters. Officials may also appoint up to 5 non-voters per precinct to serve as polling place board members.
Those who are interested in becoming a poll worker or Return Center captain can call (510) 272-6971, or visit www.acgov.org/rov.
Reynoso encouraged Filipinos all over the state of California: “To my Kababayans and our Filipino immigrants who are now qualified to register and vote, it is VERY EASY to register. You just go online and that’s it! It is even easier to vote and by way of Vote by Mail! You can do these at the comfort of your homes!”
He also made a special appeal to Filipinos in counties with low voter turnout rates such as Alameda County, “How come until today, Filipino voters register only an average of 20% participation through the years, not to mention the substantial number of unregistered but eligible Filipinos who have not made an effort to register at all? What gives?”
By numbers, the Filipino electorate has actually grown over the past few years. Filipino voter registration has increased by 80,000, or 24 percent, since November 2010. Nearly 418,000 Filipinos are registered to vote in California, with 31 percent in Los Angeles County, 11 percent in San Diego County, 7 percent in Santa Clara, and 6 percent in both Alameda and Orange Counties.
“The Filipino, especially the immigrant, has to be moved. Filipinos vote on personalities, not on issues,” Reynoso said. “The Filipino potential voter has to be unearthed, found and convinced. Phone-banking, recruiting through outreach events, word of mouth and education are some ways to increase voter awareness and participation. Let us spread the word around; mabuhay kayong lahat!”
(With reports from Political Data and www.filipinos4justice.org.)
(www.asianjournal.com)
(San Francisco September 26 – October 2, 2014 Sec. A pg.1)
