Biden-Harris Teams Target Florida Haitians, Urge Voting-By-Mail As Election Nears

 A newly-created group to bolster Haitian-American support for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has kicked off voter outreach activities in Florida with a virtual town hall Sept. 11. During the event organized by “Ayisyen Pou Biden,” Creole for Haitians For Biden, the most senior Haitian-Americans on the Harris-Biden campaign emphasized the importance of Haitian voters in winning the battleground state.

Karine Jean-Pierre (left), chief of staff to Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, and Karen Andre (right), senior advisor to Joe Biden’s Florida campaign. Both urged Florida voters to get involved during the Ayisyen Pou Biden (Haitians For Biden) virtual town hall Sept. 11. Photo Credit: File Photos, AP News

Karine Jean-Pierre, chief of staff to vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris, said the possibility of President Donald Trump getting re-elected scares her and that it is imperative for Haitians to organize aggressively. 

“Haitians know how to organize, how to get people engaged, and how to get people out there,” Jean-Pierre said in a brief appearance. “It is so critical for us to vote early, to make sure that you engage your community.”

Karen Andre, senior advisor to Biden’s Florida campaign, said the Sunshine State is particularly important because only a one-percent margin divides the winner and the loser.

“Trump cannot make it to the White House if he doesn’t carry Florida,” Andre said. “We get to be a seismic part of this electoral season.”

To that end, several speakers at the town hall, streamed from Fort Lauderdale, said the campaign strongly urges voters to cast mail-in ballots and is launching several initiatives to strengthen the Haitian voting bloc. 

A first step is making sure that everyone eligible to vote is registered, the leaders said. Outreach programs include “Souls to the Polls,” which entails working with Haitian faith leaders to reach church members, and “Small Business Mondays,” which will focus on helping local businesses educate community members about Biden’s campaign and the upcoming election. A third, “Brother To Brother/Sister To Sister,” offers community members an avenue to discuss day-to-day issues they face.

Soon, Democrats will begin airing ads in Creole on radio and television stations throughout Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, two areas with large Haitian populations. 

Also, a Voter Protection Team to monitor voting issues across the state and a hotline with Creole translators will be available to help voters address difficulties with voting.

“I understand how important the Haitian constituency is to winning Florida,” said Clifton Addison, the Coalition’s Director for the Florida Democratic Party. “We need to make sure that we turn Florida blue.”

This article was originally published in The Haitian Times.