Election Volunteers Needed to Defend Asian Voters' Rights

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund needs volunteers to inspect poll sites in Eastern Massachusetts on Election Day, for compliance with the Voting Rights Act. Training in Boston will be on Oct. 17 and 19, 2008. (image: AALDEF.org)

Asian voters have faced obstacles to their ability to vote, according to the New York-based Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF).

For example, the AALDEF says that in recent elections:

• the names of some Asian voters names were not on official lists of registered voters
• ballots were not translated, as they must be in accordance with the US  Voting Rights Act
• interpreters  provided improper instructions
• poll workers were rude or hostile.

To end such obstacles and ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act, the AALDEF seeks volunters to monitor elections in Eastern Massachusetts on Nov. 4, 2008, and to document other instances of interference with Asian voters' ability to vote.

Volunteers will survey voters on Nov. 4 or inspect poll sites for translated voting materials and interpreters.  They will work in three-hour shifts between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., the hours of operation of the polls on Nov. 4.

Bilingual language skill is not required, but volunteers must be non-partisan.

To sign up to volunteer, fill out the Volunteer Sign-Up Form below -- and fax it or e-mail it (as a copy and paste) to the contact information listed in the form.

More general information about volunteering on Election Day is online at aaldef.org/vote2008. 

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VOLUNTEER TRAINING SESSIONS (in addition to 3-hour shift on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2008):

Oct. 17, Thursday, 6-7:30 p.m.     OR      Oct. 18, Friday, 12 Noon to 1:30 p.m.
                                   Lunch or dinner will be provided.

AT:  Bingham McCutchen LLP
        1 Federal Street (between Franklin and Milk Streets, in the Financial District)
        Boston, Mass. 02110

NEAREST TRAIN STOPS:  Downtown Crossing (on Orange and Red lines)
                                           Park (on Green line)
                                           South Station (on Red line)

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  E-mail info@aaldef.org or call 800-966-5946.

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VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP FORM

NAME:  _____________________________________________________

ADDRESS: __________________________________________________

CITY: __________________________   STATE : ________   ZIP: _______

E-MAIL: ______________________________________________________

PHONE: daytime ____________________  evening __________________

ORG./CO./SCHL./ASSN: _______________________________________

ARE YOU?

___ Undergraduate student         ___ Graduate student                 ___ Law student

___ Attorney                              ___ High school student             ___ Community volunteer           

WHERE DO YOU MOST PREFER TO BE STATIONED?  (rank if multiple):            ___No preference

___Boston         ___Dorchester     ___Mission Hill     ___Lowell          ___Quincy 

___Malden        ___Lex i ngton     ___No preference/Wherever most needed.           

DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR TO DRIVE TO YOUR SITE?  [ ]Yes     [ ]No

Some sites are not accessible by public transportation.

ON TUESDAY, NOV. 4, WHEN ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO VOLUNTEER? (rank 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)

___6:00 - 9:00 am          ___9:00 am – 12 N         ___12 N - 3:00 pm         ___Not yet sure. 

___ 3:00 - 6:00 pm         ___6:00 – 9:00 pm         ___Other_________       ___Willing to do multiple shifts. 

ARE YOU BILINGUAL IN ANY ASIAN LANGUAGE/DIALECT?  (check all that apply)

Language ability is not required to volunteer but can be very helpful.

___Cantonese          ___ Mandarin          ___Korean             ___Tagalog           ___Japanese

___Hindi                    ___ Gujarati           ___Punjabi            ___Bengali           ___Urdu

___Vietnamese         ___Khmer              ___Malayalam      

___None                  ___Other_________

ARE YOU?

___ A Past Volunteer:  Year_____________

___ Partnering with another volunteer:  Name _____________ (times must match).

You w ill be notified of trainings and other logistics upon receipt of this form.
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RETURN THIS FORM TO:
     AALDEF Election Protection Project
     99 Hudson Street, 12th Floor
     New York , NY 10013  

FAX  212-966-4303  or  E-MAIL  votingrights@aaldef.org
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
     Glenn D. Magpantay, Bryan Lee or Julia Yang
     Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
     99 Hudson Street, 12th Floor
     New York, NY 10013
     800-966-5946
     info@aaldef.org

NATIONAL CO-SPONSORS*:

Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Vote

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance

Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights

National Asian American Association of Professionals

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum

National Korean American Service and Education Consortium

North Americans South Asian Bar Association

Organization of Chinese Americans

South Asian Americans Leading Together

LOCAL CO-SPONSORS*:

American University Washington School of Law, Human Rights Clinic

Asian American Bar Association of New York

Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts

Asian Pacific American Agenda Coalition – MA 

Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Greater DC

Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania

Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey

Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center – DC

Conference for Asian Pacific American Leadership – DC

Chinatown Voter Educat ion Alliance – NY

Chinese American Voters Association – NY

Coalition of Asian Pacific American of Virginia

Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia

Filipino American Human Services – NY

Greater Boston Legal Services: Asian Outreach Unit

Hunter College/CUNY, Asian American Studies Program

Korean American Coalition – DC

Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York

Korean American Voters’ Council of NY/NJ

Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington, DC

One Lowell

Sikh Coalition – NY

South Asian Bar Association of New York

South Asian Bar Association - DC

South Asian Youth Action! – NY

University of Maryland at College Park, Asian American Studies Program

University of Pennsylvania School of Law , Public Interest Office

Temple University School of Law, Public Interest Office

Vietnamese American Mutual Association – MD

YKASEC: Empowering Korean American Community – NY

* List provided by AALDEF and current as of September 24, 2008