The nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization sent 600,000 text messages urging American Muslim voters to cast their ballots on Election Day. The Council on American-Islamic Relations targets Muslim voters across the country, including those in key states.

CAIR has not endorsed any candidate and will not do so as a 501(c)(3) organization. However, CAIR national executive director Nihad Awad said in a statement: “So far, the participation numbers in our community are promising, but they need to be much higher. We encourage all remaining American Muslim voters to turn out on Election Day. »

Acknowledging the views of some American Muslims on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, Awad acknowledged that many may be “disillusioned and frustrated due to American support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza.”

“But staying on the sidelines of these elections will not help the people of Gaza or anyone else,” Awad said. “Elected officials take communities seriously when they fully participate in the political process, including exercising their right to vote. No matter who you support, showing up to the polls is a show of political strength.

In recent months, some Muslim American activists have called on Muslim Americans to mobilize to leverage community power after the election.