In advance of the 2016 elections, SAAPRI has been involved in nonpartisan Get out the Vote (GOTV) work. 15 SAAPRI volunteers staffed 35 phone banking shifts over three weeks targeting a list of 7,656 infrequent South Asian voters. Over 2,500 inactive South Asians went on to vote in the primary elections. SAAPRI also recruited South Asian bilingual election judges and helped implement bilingual election judge training.
SAAPRI’s Executive Director Reema Kapur (middle right) at a Civic Engagement and Voter’s Education forum hosted by the Sikh Religious Society on February 21st, 2016 at the Sikh Gurdwara in Palatine, Illinois 
Article in the India Post regarding SAAPRI’s participation in the Civic Engagement and Voter’s Education forum hosted by the Sikh Religious Society on February 21st, 2016
Partnering with other community organizations, SAAPRI led six Civic Engagement and Voter Education forums in the Chicagoland area. The goal of the forums was to increase voting rates among South Asians in Illinois. The speakers explained the importance of civic engagement, getting registered to vote, and exercising the right to vote by actually casting a ballot. Also, the speakers spoke about the importance of attendees encouraging and mobilizing others in the Asian-American community to get the vote out. Due to the work of community organizations including SAAPRI, the March 15th, 2016 Illinois primary elections saw a record turnout of South Asian American voters.
Thank you to all those who attended our events!
- Read more about SAAPRI’s efforts in the Daily Herald