In a pivotal moment for voter engagement efforts in Houston, local ethnic media convened a briefing on Sept. 17 to address the upcoming 2024 elections. Representatives from several community-based organizations discussed the various challenges they face in getting marginalized communities to the polls, while also presenting innovative solutions to overcome these barriers.
The event, held at the Houston Endowment, marked the second in a series of 2024 election-focused briefings aimed at boosting voter participation across the city’s diverse populations. Each speaker brought their unique perspectives on the key challenges — language barriers, misinformation, voter suppression laws, and voter apathy — and offered insights into the impactful work their organizations are doing to mobilize voters.
Tackling Voter Apathy with Information
Katie Campbell Shumway, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters (LWV) in Houston, emphasized the critical role of education in voter turnout. The LWV’s voter guide, a long-standing resource for Houston voters, has proven essential in helping citizens navigate local races. With over 75,000 printed copies distributed through a partnership with the Houston Chronicle and a digital version available, the guide has been a cornerstone of voter education.
“This year it is 72 pages long because it covers all the races here in Harris County,” Shumway said. “We have at least 80% participation from the top of the ballot all the way down.” She noted the importance of the guide, particularly since phones are not allowed inside voting booths.
Reaching the Korean Immigrant Community
Hyunja Norman, Executive Director of Woori Juntos, highlighted the difficulties her organization faces in mobilizing the Korean immigrant community, especially among non-English speakers. Misinformation continues to spread rapidly due to language barriers, while many in the community remain unaware of their civic duty.
“Our challenge is that our people do not understand that everyone has a civic duty to our democracy,” said Norman, adding that Woori Juntos is focusing on building trust and relationships with the Korean community, particularly with seniors, to foster long-term civic engagement.
Engaging Houston’s Marginalized Communities
Chris Valdez, Director of Communications for Houston in Action, stressed the importance of creating a more inclusive environment for first-time and young voters. His organization is spearheading both in-person and digital outreach campaigns, targeting disenfranchised voters.
“There’s a unique opportunity here to bring people into voting in a more empowering and engaging way that affects their day-to-day life,” Valdez said, emphasizing that normalizing voter participation across Houston is key to fostering long-term civic engagement.
Combatting the Impact of SB1 in Asian American Communities
Deborah Chen, Programs Director for OCA Greater Houston, detailed the chilling effect of SB1, Texas’s controversial voter suppression law, on Asian American voters. Despite language access protections, many remain unsure of their rights, especially in a climate rife with disinformation.
“We are actively training all of our canvassers to no longer be able to help people find out where to vote. All we can say is, ‘Here’s the website, you have to look it up yourself,’” Chen said, highlighting how SB1 has severely limited the ways her organization can assist voters.
Mobilizing the Hispanic Vote
Jesus Zamora, Texas Field Manager for Mi Familia Vota, focused on the importance of empowering young Hispanic voters to educate their families about the electoral process. Misinformation and anti-immigrant rhetoric have deterred some from participating, particularly within immigrant families. Zamora highlighted Mi Familia Vota’s efforts to boost turnout in Hispanic-heavy regions like the Rio Grande Valley.
“Families are afraid to register to vote, especially those who are migrants or immigrants from another country,” Zamora noted. “Being able to vote up and down the ballot matters…that’s the biggest challenge we see on the ground right now.”
Expanding Outreach in Houston’s Muslim and South Asian Communities
AJ Durrani, Treasurer of EMGAGE, shared the organization’s multi-pronged approach to engaging the Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian communities in Houston. Durrani spoke of the persistent challenge of voter apathy within first-generation immigrant populations but underscored how EMGAGE’s “six-touch approach” — which includes canvassing, mail drops, and phone banking — has been effective in breaking through.
Empowering Youth Civic Engagement in Alief
Abby Gail Trino, Executive Director of AliefVotes, provided insight into her organization’s efforts to encourage youth civic engagement in the Alief district. With partnerships with local schools and voter registration drives, AliefVotes aims to build future leaders and create a community of engaged young voters.
“Through the work with AliefVotes and a lot of our community partners, we worked on making sure that it’s the district worth remembering and fighting for,” Trino said.
Her sentiments were echoed by Oyindamola Akintola, Director of Events for AliefVotes and a senior at Alief Early College High School. Akintola highlighted how peer-to-peer engagement and social media have been instrumental in spreading awareness about voting among minority students.
“A key conversation I struck out when it comes to involving students is: ‘Consider your status, consider your family, consider your identity—how do we integrate all of that to make your impact on the community?’”
Building a Culture of Voting
The consensus from all participants at the Houston briefing was clear: for the 2024 elections to see record turnout, communities must tackle the complex web of barriers that prevent citizens from voting. From voter education and language accessibility to combating disinformation, the organizations represented are playing a vital role in ensuring that all voices are heard in November.