Contacts: Sohn Sik, KRCC, sohnsik@chicagokrcc.org
Yongho Kim, KRC, yongho@krcla.org
Korean Americans on Election Day
Election Protection and Exit Polling Efforts Organized for November 4th
WHO NAKASEC and its affiliates to carry out election protection and exit
polling activities on Election Day.
WHEN Election Day, November 4, 2008
WHY Nation-wide, 78% of Korean Americans are foreign born and 76% speak Korea in their homes. As an immigrant community, efforts to increase the civic participation of the Korean American community must address the issue of language access and culture. That is why NAKASEC is dedicated to election protection and exit polling efforts on Election Day to ensure that the voting rights of Korean Americans are protected and their voices are heard.
WHAT Voter Hotline: NAKASEC affiliates, the Korean Resource and Cultural Center (KRCC) in Chicago and the Korean Resource Center (KRC) in Los Angeles will operate a voter hotline until polls close on November 4th. In the primaries held on February 5, 2008, KRCC and KRC received over 700 calls from community members who needed assistance finding their poll site, whose name did not appear on the roster at their poll sites, or who needed instructions on how to vote by provisional ballot. For the November 4th election, more than 1,000 calls are anticipated.
Exit Polling: Exit polling surveys will be conducted at eight poll sites in order to get to know who the Korean American voter is and where they stand on issues such as immigration and healthcare. Exit in Chicago is in collaboration with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and with the Asian Pacific American Legal Center in Los Angeles.
Exit Poll Sites in Chicago:
• Willowbrook School – 2500 Happy Hollow Rd, Glenview
• Park Center – 2400 Chestnut, Glenview
• 4645 N. Sheridan, Chicago
• 3401 W. Ainslie, Chicago
Exit Poll Sites in Los Angeles:
• L.A. Methodist Church – 433 S. Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles
• Community Presbyterian Church – 13701 Hillsborough Drive, La Mirada
• Cerritos Park East – 13234 166th Street, Cerritos
• Berendo Jr. High School – 1157 S. Berendo Street, Los Angeles
Poll Monitoring: In the primary elections this year, KRCC noticed that senior Korean American voters were being rejected at the polls because they were limited English speakers. In order to avoid the same situation, KRCC worked with the County Board of Elections and has recruited 15 bilingual Korean American election judges who will be working at 10 poll sites. These poll sites are located in senior buildings in Chicago where many Korean American voters reside.
Election Judge Poll Sites in Chicago:
• 4645 N. Sheridan
• 4945 N. Sheridan
• 4910 N. Sheridan
• 4500 N. Clarendon
• 4827 N. Sheridan
• 920 W. Lawrence
• 3920/3940 N. Clark
• 855 W. Aldine
• 4444 N. Harding
• 4848 N. Kedzie
In Los Angeles, KRC will be poll monitoring at 4 poll sites in coordination with the Asian Pacific American Legal Center. Volunteers are trained to report any activity that challenges voting rights.
Poll Monitoring Sites in Los Angeles:
• Hungarian Reformed Church – 751 Crenshaw Blvd
• St. Brendan Church – 310 S. Van Ness Avenue
• Elks Lodge – 607 S. Western Avenue
• L.A. Korean Methodist Church – 433 S. Normandie Avenue
Press is invited to visit KRCC and KRC, or any of the poll sites where exit polling and poll monitoring will occur. Please contact Yongho Kim for Los Angeles and Sohn Sik for Chicago ahead of time for scheduling.
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