In Michigan, one of the critical states in the 2024 US presidential election, people flocked to the ballot boxes to elect a new president and members of Congress. In the critical state of Michigan, voters are taking the “Gaza genocide” to the ballot box. Jacklin Zeidan, of Palestinian origin, who voted in Dearborn, criticized the support given to Gaza, saying, “I think our government is complicit, it has not made decisions based on humanity and peace.”
Millions of voters have gone to the polls in the US for the 2024 Presidential Elections. Voting will continue until 20:00 local time, and voters will choose between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump to determine the country's 47th president. These elections are considered historic in many ways. The Muslim community in Michigan, in particular, is preparing to take their criticisms of the ongoing conflict in Gaza and US foreign policy support to the ballot box.
Palestinian-American voters in Dearborn, one of Michigan's most heavily Arab-populated counties, are aiming to make their voices heard more strongly in these elections. Jacklin Zeidan, a Palestinian-American who voted in the town of Dearborn, told AA “A lot has happened throughout the year. I think our government is complicit in the tragedy in Gaza. No decisions were made for humanity and peace.”
Zeidan criticized the US military aid spending, emphasizing that not enough attention is paid to domestic issues. “I know families here who have difficulty finding food, there are people who cannot even put gas in their cars, and yet billions of dollars are being sent to all corners of the world,” Zeidan said, adding that the government's priorities should focus more on the needs of the American people. Zeidan said he hoped for a high turnout from the Muslim community in these elections, and said, “As a nation, we have to show that we are no longer sitting on the sidelines and that we are holding politicians accountable.”
Reajb, who is voting for the first time in Dearborn, said the situation in Gaza is very important to him. Reajb, who said he voted for a third party to show his reaction to the election, said, “I hope to show that we can punish the Democratic Party for the events of the last year and that we will no longer give them unconditional support. We will not allow them to intimidate us through the Republican Party.” Reajb's stance points to the possibility that Arab American voters, who have traditionally supported the Democratic Party, may turn to different options in this election.
Dearborn resident Has Chero emphasized that the voices of Arab Americans in the region need to be heard more. “I am an Arab American and I want our voices to be heard more, especially considering the events in our region, especially in the Middle East,” Chero said, adding that Arab Americans expect US policy to be more sensitive, especially to developments in Gaza, Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries. Chero said that as voters, the place where this voice can be expressed most strongly is at the ballot box.
Dearborn resident Henry Ray said that despite voting for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, the situation over Gaza has made voters uncomfortable. Ray said it is difficult to live in one of the critical swing states that will determine the outcome of the election, adding, “It really wears me out. Candidates are out here campaigning all the time, there are big campaign ads everywhere. At the end of the day, I hope that all this excitement will calm down at least a little bit.”
