(With exit poll AND media release, includes sample election advisory, sample exit poll tally sheet, sample exit poll release, SAMPLE calling script and sample calling sheet notations)

1) Contact your local CAIR chapter to join your efforts with theirs.
See: http://www.cair.com/chapters.aspx

2) Obtain a list of eligible voters in your community.

• Lists of registrants can be obtained from city, county or state boards of election. Some provide phone numbers; some do not. For a price some services, such as Aristotle will provide lists with phone numbers.

3) Getting ready
You will need to consider the following:

• How many days, hours per day and locations do you have? You will need to acquire locations. Recommendations: four hour shifts for callers; weekend cell phone minutes are often free, can call from home if you trust them with your list.
• How many phone lines and people do you need? You will need to acquire phone lines and volunteers (National Gov. Affairs Dept has volunteer information cards you can print.) Approximate 20 calls per hour per phone line (Thus 2,000 calls will take 100 hours. This is 25 four-hour shifts.) Find volunteers to work by approaching your local mosque, youth group, and MSA.
• Write a script for those making the calls. This should include greeting, why they are calling (We just want to remind you to go vote on [insert election day].) A quick 10 second blurb about CAIR and a goodbye. If you are going to do an exit poll, ask if you can call on election day to confirm that they voted and who they voted for. You may also ask for their e-mail to add to CAIR’s mailing list.)
• Create tracking sheets: have callers track how many contacts made, how many said they planned to vote, how many said do not call (Mark these and remove them from your list. and who said you can follow up for exit poll.
• Calling is best done when voters are likely to be at home, in the evenings or on weekends
• Automated calling is another option. Agree to pay only for calls that go through and do not pay up front. Started any recorded message with “Salaam Alaykum.” This will get the attention of Muslims.

4) 72 hours prior to the election

• Conduct your phone banking.
• Have callers track results of call (see step 3 above) and keep a master tally.
• Consider placing volunteers outside mosques in advance of the election with signs that read “Remember to vote on election day"
• Issue an election advisory via your fax and e-mail lists. (A sample is below.)

5) Election Day: Getting out the Vote

• Phone: Re-call your targets s in the afternoon to ask if they voted and who they voted for.
• Place volunteers in mosques or other places where Muslims congregate and ask people if they have voted yet. If they have not then encourage them to go immediately.
• Consider providing the following services:
  • Transportation to and from polling stations (Arranging free rides through local cab drivers with a centralized number provided on the voter guide for persons to call and request a ride is one possible method.)
  • Door knocking in close-race districts with large Muslim populations

6) Election Day: Exit Poll Media Release

• An Exit Poll simply asks “Who did you vote for?”
• If there were any ballot measures in your state that were particularly relevant, you can ask about the measure.
• Issue a release to the media, as early as possible, giving the results of your exit poll. 

Want to know more? Need help or advice?
Call CAIR and talk to our government relations department. Note: This document contains general guidelines. It should not be relied upon as legal advice.

SAMPLE ELECTION ADVISORY
[Note: modified from a CAIR-California (Southern California) release.]

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7.

Here is what you do:

1. Find your polling station!

Find out where to vote through the Democratic National Committee here:
http://www.democrats.org/elections/voting_information

Find out where to vote through the Republican National Committee here:
http://www.gop.com/vote/

(Remember, as a U.S. citizen, it is your right to vote! Most states have laws guaranteeing you the right to take time off work to vote!)

2. Bring identification, such as a driver's license or passport. Most states require it.

3. If you would like a paper ballot, request it! You do not have to use the electronic ballot if you don't want to!

4. When you are done voting...grab an "I Voted" sticker and sport it!!! Wear it with pride!

5. Drive home safely, and congratulations on voting!!!!

6. Call your family and friends and make sure they went to vote. Help them to find their polling place.

7. Remember, if you don't vote, don't complain.

SAMPLE CALLING SCRIPT

Salaam Alaykum, I’m [name] calling from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest American Muslim civil liberties group.

We are call Muslims in [state] to urge them to vote on [day of week, month, day]

Are you planning to go vote? Anyone else in your home planning to vote?

If yes: That’s great. We’d like to call you after the election to ask who you voted for. May we do so?

If no: I hope you’ll consider going to vote. Voting is an important step toward helping organizations like CAIR protect your civil liberties.

Thank you.

Do you receive e-mails from CAIR?

If yes: That’s great. Thanks for your time and support. Please remember to vote on [day of week, month, day].

If no: May I get your e-mail address and sign you up?

If yes get address and then: Thanks for your time and support. Please remember to vote on [day of week, month, day].

If no:  Thanks for your time and support. Please remember to vote on [day of week, month, day].

Tips:

• Always remain polite.
• Do not debate with people.
• If the person is asking a lot of questions, allow one of CAIR’s professional staff to answer the questions

SAMPLE CALLING LIST NOTATIONS

Have all people calling your list use these notations:

A: Agreed to go vote
B: busy
CB: Call back later
D: Declined to go vote
DNC: Do not call
EP: Agreed to get call for exit poll
NA: No answer

SAMPLE EXIT POLL AND TALLY SHEET

Salaam Alaykum, I’m [name] calling from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest American Muslim civil liberties group.

[State] had an election today. I’d like to ask you a couple of questions about your vote.

Who did you vote for Senate?
Candidate A
Candidate B

How about for the US House?
Candidate A
Candidate B
Candidate C

There was a measure on the ballot {restricting civil libereties

SAMPLE EXIT POLL RELEASE

EXIT POLL: 93 Percent of Muslims Voting for Kerry
Samplings in Ohio and Florida show overwhelming support

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/2/2004) - Preliminary results of an exit poll by a prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group indicate that more than 90 percent of Muslim voters are casting their ballots for John Kerry in today's election.

In that early survey of 537 Muslim voters, conducted by the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), 93 percent of respondents said they voted for Kerry, 5 percent favored Ralph Nader and less than 1 percent said they supported President Bush.

The exit poll exceeds the results of a post-debate CAIR survey indicating that 80 percent of likely American Muslim voters planned to vote for Kerry. Today's poll results are also in line with the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections - Political Action Committee (AMT-PAC) endorsement of John Kerry. SEE: http://www.americanmuslimvoter.net/

In the key battleground state of Florida, a CAIR sampling of 335 Muslims who cast their votes today or in early polling shows that 95 percent voted for Kerry and just 3 percent voted for President Bush. Ralph Nader received under 2 percent of Muslim votes.

In Ohio, a similar sampling of 222 Muslim voters showed 86 percent voting for Kerry, 4 percent for Bush and 10 percent for "other" or a third party.

"We are seeing an unprecedented level of voter mobilization by the American Muslim community in this election," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. "I believe Muslim voters have come of age and will be a factor in all future elections."

Muslims from almost every state responded to the exit poll, with the most responses coming from California, Virginia, Texas, Maryland, Illinois, New York, Florida, and Ohio.

Surveys were faxed and e-mailed to Muslim individuals and organizations nationwide this afternoon.

In the weeks leading up to the election, CAIR launched a nationwide "Get Out the Muslim Vote" campaign that included phone banks in a number of election centers, distribution of Muslim voter guides and transportation services for Muslim voters.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

- END -

CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director, Corey Saylor, 202-646-6039, E-Mail: csaylor@cair.com; Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: info@cair.com