Immigrant Political Power Project

This electoral project, a joint initiative of CHIRLA and the CHIRLA Action Fund, targets new citizens, Latinos, and English learners to build a voter base from scratch, with enough power to sway state politics.

We reach out to these community members to build relationships, speaking with them in their language between four and seven times before election day about diverse issues--from their access to state safety-net programs to registering for the census.

Teams of paid/volunteer canvassers/phone bankers, ranging in status from undocumented to legal permanent residents, work to build a constant culture of voting among these voters, their neighbors, and impress upon them that immigrants must participate in EVERY election, not just the presidential cycle. These contacts also become teaching sessions about the political landscape, electoral strategy, and even volunteering.

The IPPP staff, too, is five immigrant women of color who come from this community and understand its challenges.

Thanks to that outreach, these prospective voters trust us as sources of reliable information on issues that affect them. When we come to them regarding a legislative initiative, a candidate, or voter registration, they listen and participate.

This is a brand-new voter base, not built from borrowed lists but engineered from our own efforts. Candidates often overlook these voters because they are harder to reach or because they may not know they exist. In that sense, this electoral program is made to order for immigrants, by immigrants.