TEXAS – The Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) is reportedly registering approximately 1,000 new voters per week at mosques in the Houston area as part of a political mobilization campaign ahead of the upcoming elections.
The
organization's president, Emran Gazi, referenced the effort during a press
conference in which Muslim leaders expressed their opposition to the new social
studies standards recently approved by the Texas State Board of Education.
According
to reports citing the Houston Chronicle, Gazi called on members of the Muslim
community to participate in the elections and maintained that the Muslim vote
could have a significant impact in Houston and Harris County.
The
mobilization comes amid a political dispute over the content of the new
educational standards. Critics present at the conference argued that the new
curriculum presents aspects of Islam in an unfavorable light.
The
voter registration drive represents an effort to increase voter participation
within Houston's Muslim community. While some reports describe the initiative
as being geared toward supporting Democrats, publicly available statements
focus primarily on increasing the community's participation and electoral
influence.
The
ISGH is an organization that unites and serves Muslim communities in the
Houston metropolitan area and operates a network of Islamic centers and schools
in the region.