Hyderabad: About 25 lakh Indian Americans across the United States are participating in the US Presidential elections, exercising their right to vote. With the increasing importance of immigrant voices in US elections, Indian American voters are determined to play their part.
Opinion was divided on who was getting the PIOs’ vote, with many said to be siding with former President Donald Trump and the women vote going to Vice-President Kamala Harris.
Ramesh Mettu, a 43-year-old IT consultant in New Jersey, cast his vote through early in-person voting. “Voting early gave me peace of mind,” he said. “With my busy work schedule, I didn’t want to risk waiting until Election Day and facing lines of crowds. It’s easy and reassuring to know my vote is in.”
“It is extremely easy to vote now, and as a person who has been living here for 20 years, I feel happy that I can vote and give my share in shaping the country’s future”, he said.
Prasanna Reddy, a mother of two living in Dallas, Texas, chose the mail-in ballot option due to family and work commitments. “The mail-in process was perfect for me,” she explained. “I received the ballot, filled it out and mailed it back the same day. It’s a safe and convenient option, especially for those balancing tight schedules.”
Drop boxes, which have become popular in many states, provide an alternative to postal mail. A. Bhargava, a realtor living in California’s Sacramento, praised this option. “The drop box near my home was ideal,” he shared. “I went in, filled in the details and dropped my vote.”
A study by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace revealed that there are more than 52 lakh people of Indian origin residing in the United States, and Indian Americans are now the second-largest immigrant group in the country after Mexico.
With Harris, an Indian-origin woman, entering the fray, the vote share of Indian Americans is extremely influential. The study stated that 47 per cent of the survey’s Indian American respondents identified as Democrats. The authors stated that the percentile of Democrat supporters are down from 56 per cent in 2020.
"Votes of Telugu-speaking people have become crucial in the US Presidential election," said Ashok Galla, the treasurer of the Telugu Association of North America (TANA).
He said there 25.6 lakh people of Indian origin, who are eligible to vote. “Voter turnout is expected to be high due to dissatisfaction with the previous four years of lack of governance, with many indicating support for Trump," he added.
Talking to Deccan Chronicle, TANA president Niranjan Srungavarapu said the majority of Indian Americans, including Telugus, were leaning towards Trump. “Favourable policies encouraging Indian businesses and the Indian government by Donald Trump will help him win the trust of Indians and secure their votes in the presidential election,” he said.
Women Telugu voters appear to be leaning towards Harris for being liberal on women’s abortion rights.
“Some Telugu people are looking for a leader, who advocates rights for abortion and also a bit liberal on faiths and beliefs of the people,” said Tabitha Joy, a dental student from Andhra Pradesh pursuing her course in Chicago.
Moreover, the voting decisions of Telugu people were also being influenced by the US foreign policy as they wanted peace with no funds to be spent on waging war for others.
