Afterthoughts on the Muslim Vote

November 26, 2004

Source: The Boston Globe

https://archive.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/11/26/interpreting_the_muslim_vote/

On November 26, 2004 The Boston Globe reported, "of all the groups scrutinized since the election, one has been overlooked: Muslim-Americans. For whom did they vote? Were they motivated by moral or religious values? Which mattered more to them, foreign policy or domestic issues? These questions have not been asked in part because exit polls did not provide data about Muslim voters. Nonetheless, there is much fragmentary evidence offering valuable insights. According to James Gimpel at the University of Maryland, registration levels for individuals with Arabic names in places like San Jose, Los Angeles, Tampa, and Queens increased dramatically since 9/11. If such new registrants voted, then record numbers of Muslims overcame long-standing misgivings about their political participation in a non-Muslim society."