Several organizations across the Houston area are working to remove barriers that can keep people from voting. Their work includes contacting voters in their communities, providing transportation for seniors and helping people understand their rights at the polls. OCA-Greater Houston and the NAACP are among the groups involved.
OCA-Greater Houston said it is encouraging more Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members to take part in elections. Its outreach includes door knocking, phone calls, text messages, mailers and community events. Debbie Chen, with OCA-Greater Houston, said the group has helped seniors get to voting centers since the 1990s. Depending on the election, it has helped between 50 and 500 seniors get rides to the polls. Chen expects fewer than 100 seniors will use the service this year.
The group also plans to conduct an exit survey on Election Day with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. The survey will ask what issues matter to voters, why they decided to vote and whether they vote regularly. Chen said she has seen more AAPI community members become involved in voting since 2012.