This election season, statewide candidates have given special attention to the Arab American community. 

Gov. Rick Snyder visited the Arab American National Museum and spoke at several apolitical events hosted by community organizations, including the Arab American and Chaldean Council and ACCESS. His opponent, Mark Schauer, has held fundraisers in Dearborn and granted two interviews to our newspaper. Both candidates have sought the endorsement of the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC).

With undecided voters emerging as the key to winning the gubernatorial race, the Arab American vote can be decisive. Local Arabs are traditionally non-partisan. Hence, they can be the weight that tilts the political scale in Lansing. 

As a community, we are in a position of strength to tell politicians what we think is best for the state, make our demands known and voice our grievances. However, to influence the political process, we need to be a part of it. While politicians might genuinely care about our community, at the end of the day, they want our support— our vote. Voting is our ticket to a robust presence on the state’s political landscape.

In a democracy, everybody can be a decision-maker. Let us be active agents— not a still audience in the future of our state— by exercising and promoting our right to vote, which is our only medium through which to channel our issues to those in power. 

State and local governments influence our daily lives more than any other institution, including the federal government. They decide most of our taxes, sets the policies for our schools and are directly responsible for our safety through the police. 

Let us be informed and be at the core of the electoral races in the state. Political engagement is vital to the strength of our community and the future of Michigan. 

Social media are powerful informative tools; let us use them for a good cause. Community members should interrupt the stream of selfies and banal posts on their Facebook pages to remind people to vote on Nov. 4 and raise local issues that matters to all of us. Call, text and Whatsapp your family and friends and remind them that there is a crucial election coming up in three weeks.

No matter who you vote for, your vote is your voice, make it heard.

We live in the core of Michigan’s diverse society; we share the state’s values and carry its concerns. Let us be participants in creating its future.