The nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization sent 600,000 text messages to urge Muslim American voters to vote on Election Day. The Council on American-Islamic Relations targeted Muslim voters across the country, including those in key swing states.

CAIR has not endorsed a candidate and will not do so as a 501(c)(3) organization. However, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement: “The turnout numbers for our community so far are promising, but they need to be much higher. We encourage all remaining American Muslim voters to turn out on Election Day.”

Acknowledging the views of some Muslim Americans regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, Awad acknowledged that many may be “disappointed and frustrated by US support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza.”

“But sitting on the sidelines of this election will not help the people of Gaza or anyone else,” Awad said. “Elected officials take communities seriously when they fully participate in the political process, including by exercising their right to vote. Regardless of who you support, turning out to vote is a demonstration of political strength.”

In recent months, some American Muslim activists have called for American Muslims to mobilize as a way to harness the power of the community after the election.