The low voter turnout anticipated for Nov. 3 gave Arab American leaders an ideal chance to magnify the impact of their community's vote. Their strategy proved highly successful. PNS reporter Mohamad Ozeir is editor in chief of the Arab American Journal. THIS IS ONE OF A PNS SERIES ON THE YEAR OF THE ETHNIC VOTER.

SUNNYVALE, CA. -- The Arab American Institute's Vote '98 campaign helped return six Arab American Congress members to office on Nov. 3 and showed the power of the Arab American constituency.

At its national leadership conference in May, AAI began a strategy to establish Arab Americans as an important constituency. The plan was based on the assumption that general voter turnout would be low in an off-year election. When the general turnout is low, concentrated constituencies such as the Arab American community have the opportunity to magnify their impact.

"Our community is small but concentrated," AAI President James Zogby said at a post-election news conference. "If we could maintain a high level of turnout, our voting strength could increase."

Arab Americans currently represent one to four percent of the population. However, with the anticipated low voter turnout, they aimed to increase their presence to six or seven percent.

To achieve that presence, AAI intensified its Vote '98 campaign after Labor Day. It published voter guides in California, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Virginia. It mailed thousands of fliers and posters in English and Arabic urging people to vote.

It sent ads with the same message to Arab American newspapers, radio stations and TV stations. At the same time, the Democratic National Committee published newspaper and radio ads targeted at Arab Americans. When Republicans heard the DNC ads, they broadcast similar ads on Arab American radio stations.

"For the first time, hundreds and thousands of Arab Americans were bombarded with advertising directly targeted at them," Zogby said.

AAI also organized phone banks and door-to-door canvassing throughout the country. Hundreds of volunteers in Southern California, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and other communities made phone calls and knocked on doors to remind people to vote.

"There was tremendous excitement and involvement where previously we didn't expect to find it," Zogby said.

As a result, Arab Americans received a level of respect they hadn't had in the past. Once politicians would routinely return contributions from Arab Americans. This year Arab Americans were actively recruited to appear at events with First Lady Hillary Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

"We established the Arab American vote as an important factor in local and national elections," Zogby said.