By Razia Shalizi, college student, warehouse distribution worker, and union member with SEIU Workers United
As one of the 3.5+ million people who became a U.S. citizen since the last presidential election, I am so excited to have the right to vote! I immigrated with my family six years ago at the age of 18 from Pakistan, where women in many parts of the country have limited freedom to go to school, be employed, OR vote unless permitted by male family members.
New American Voters like me—who are directly impacted by immigration policies and who have the power to vote—have an outsized responsibility to turn out to the polls this year. Immigration is a top election issue, and the stakes are increasingly high for immigrant communities.
KNOW THIS: We have the potential and POWER to sway this presidential election. In some battleground states like Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin, the number of newly naturalized citizens is greater than the victory of margin in the 2020 election. In my home state of Arizona, newly naturalized citizens were six times greater than the vote margin.
- Don’t get caught by surprise! Ensure you're STILL registered;
- Ensure you're registered at your current address so your vote matters up AND down the ballot; and
- Get your friends and family to check their registration—because when we vote, we win.
The fundamental right to vote is precious and constantly under attack, especially for voters of color. We must make sure we defend that right by exercising it—and then by electing leaders who fight for our right to survive and thrive, no matter our race, gender, or where we come from. We must reject politicians who try to divide us so they can make different rules for wealthy CEOs. We MUST stand up for each other at the polls!
KNOW THIS TOO: We're fighting like hell to elect pro-worker leaders because it must become easier for working people to organize into unions and win workplace contracts that improve their jobs.
In order to elect pro-worker leaders, we must vote! Check your registration today!
(Please remember that newly naturalized citizens, as well as eligible residents with time still left this year to naturalize, must register to vote. Becoming a U.S. citizen is not an automatic path to becoming a registered voter.)
