“It’s difficult to feel represented when the choices seem to overlook our communities, but our voices still need to be heard.”
With the 2024 presidential election just around the corner, many Muslim students find themselves grappling with complex emotions and difficult choices. For some, the election presents a moral dilemma, while for others, it’s a critical opportunity to make their voices heard in a system that has historically marginalized them. Amid election season, young Muslim voices resonate with a mix of frustration, caution, and a persistent hope for change.
In recent years, Muslim voter turnout has shown significant growth, reflecting a trend of increasing civic engagement within the community. In a survey on 2024 Muslim voter participation conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a substantial 82% of respondents expressed their intention to vote in the November election, highlighting a strong anticipated voter turnout within the Muslim community.
Despite this increase in engagement, the sentiments surrounding the current election season reflect a complex and sometimes conflicted relationship with American politics. For many young Muslim voters, this year’s election presents a difficult choice, and for a number of Muslim students here at UCLA, the decision to participate in the upcoming election is layered with conflicting values and moral frustrations. Tasneem Jahan, a third-year Psychobiology student, states, “I’m planning to participate in the upcoming elections for local candidates and propositions; however, I will be abstaining from voting in the presidential race. I can’t in good conscience support candidates who are involved in or intend to continue acts of genocide.”
On the other hand, some students see voting as both a civic duty and a way to represent Muslim interests. Resham Irfan, a fourth-year Physiological Science student who intends to vote for a third-party candidate, feels strongly about participating in the election, stating, “Even though the candidate I’m voting for isn’t part of the two-party system, I will still be voting. What is motivating me is the fact that there is a candidate who advocates for the Muslim community in America and supports our rights. Voting also helps to fulfill our Islamic duty to make change.”
Third-year Bioengineering student Safora Zia voices her feelings as a first-time voter stating, “I’m excited to vote for the first time but also nervous about how it will affect my community and personal life”. This sense of nervousness resonates with many first-time voters, both within the Muslim community and beyond. In what may be one of the most polarized political climates in our nation’s history, it is understandable why young voters feel anxious about seizing their first opportunity to engage in national politics.
This election cycle, there has been a particularly unique and noticeable shift amongst Muslim voters in terms of candidate preferences with an increasing number showing interest in third-party candidates. Frustration with the two-party system, often perceived as unresponsive to the concerns of the Muslim population, has led many to explore alternatives. According to the voter participation poll conducted by CAIR, 42.3% of respondents favor Green Party candidate Jill Stein, surpassing Kamala Harris at 41% and Donald Trump at 9.8%. This trend highlights the heightened electoral divisions within the Muslim American community as a growing number of Muslims are opting not to support the Democratic presidential candidate compared to previous elections (a 2020 poll conducted by CAIR found that 69% of Muslims voted for Joe Biden in the previous presidential election). This can be largely attributed to the fact that an overwhelmingly critical issue amongst Muslim voters this election cycle is stances on issues regarding Palestianians and Israel’s war on Gaza.
Additionally, Muslim students express a shared concern for issues such as healthcare, economic justice, and foreign policy. Fourth-year Education student Ayat Hilal highlights economic policy as a priority, expressing frustration with the U.S.’s financial support for foreign governments at the expense of domestic needs and stating, “So much of our funding is going towards Israel, and people here can’t even afford housing, tuition, and healthcare. People are living paycheck to paycheck and homelessness is everywhere.” Students have also conveyed the importance of advocating for a candidate who supports universal healthcare and more liberal immigration policies.
The media’s portrayal of Muslims plays a powerful role in shaping public perception and influencing voter decisions. One student from outside of the Muslim community observed, “It’s very double-sided because there are people who see religion and want to vote in spite of those groups, and there is the complete opposite side who wants to vote mostly in resistance to Islamophobia and/or Antisemitism.” It is no secret that the media coverage of Muslims in America, especially since 9/11, has been overwhelmingly negative. For many young Muslims, such portrayals reinforce a sense of marginalization in the political arena.
This concern resonates with many Muslim students. Resham, for example, worries about the potential backlash following the election, expressing, “depending on who wins, we may have to be a lot more cautious in terms of protesting and representing our culture and religion in society.” This fear underscores an anticipated rise in Islamophobia and a general atmosphere of intolerance.
When asked about their hopes for the future, numerous students communicated a desire for greater Muslim representation in American politics. Ayat sees this as crucial but difficult, stating, “I would like to see more Muslim candidates because they would be able to connect with more than just the Muslim community as so many POC struggles are interconnected. But I know this is unrealistic because of how polarized the two party system is. We have never seen a candidate that was tied to our interests.” Students have expressed a strong desire for a candidate who is either Muslim or deeply understands the Muslim American experience and would advocate for the interests of the Muslim American community.
In an election season charged with complexity and heightened emotions, Muslim voters at UCLA are driven by both hope and frustration. Their voices, however, are clear: they seek a political landscape that respects and represents their values, acknowledges their struggles, and fosters real change for the Muslim American population. This election is not merely a choice of candidates but a reflection of a community’s determination to be heard and to assert its place in the national conversation. As they head to the polls this week, the diversity of political perspectives among Muslim students at UCLA will be unmistakably present.