KAVC Hotline for 2011 General Elections

[Photo: KAVC Staff Searching Poll Sites and addressing issues. November 8, 2011]  

On November 8th, 2011, Korean American Voters’ Council (KAVC) opened an election hotline for New York and New Jersey’s General Elections. KAVC received a total of 40 phone calls. This year, there was little trouble at the poll sites that were reported to us. Voters called to find their poll sites, receive instructions on how to use the voting machine, candidate profiles, and miscellaneous details.

Many of the calls came from New York’s general elections for various judges and district attorneys. Despite the elections, the lack of competition made the election lesser-known to Korean Americans, and a vast majority of the calls asked if it was necessary to vote or not.

Many voters in Bergen County, NJ called to ask for polling sites that had Korean interpreters. However, the interpreting service will be made active next year, so the calls were unable to be answered for this election.

[Photo: KAVC President Dongchan Kim conversing with Candidate Philip Choi]

KAVC President Dongchan Kim visited polling sites in Leonia and Palisades Park, NJ to observe Korean voters’ participation. Leonia Mayoral Candidate Philip Choi said that he expected good results since many Koreans are participating.

[Photo: At the Englewood Cliffs Democratic Party Office, volunteers are monitoring poll rates in real time and make calls to households that did not vote yet.]

Kim met Candidate Gloria Oh at the Englewood Cliffs Democratic Party office. Oh also stated that Koreans are participating more in the elections than before, but she will encourage the community for more participation.