CHICAGO – The Chicago chapter of a leading American Muslim civil rights group issued on Friday, October 28, a voter guide in the state of Illinois to empower voters to make more informed decisions.

“The Chicago chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today released a 2016 General Election Scorecard & Referendum guide to empower voters to make informed decisions,” the group said in a statement sent to AboutIslam.net.

“The scorecard is a guide that provides listings of key legislation and its corresponding voting records for the 99th General Assembly of Illinois and the 114th Congress of the United States in the 2015-2016 sessions, as well as proposed constitutional amendments and advisory questions for the state.”

The group urged American Muslims to practice their right and vote.

“CAIR-Chicago encourages every voter to cast their ballot at their convenience, and early voting sites have now expanded throughout the state.  Voters can vote at ANY polling site within their city or county residence.”

Early voting runs until Monday, November 7th, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th! Polls open from 6AM to 7PM.

Along with the guide, the group said information is also available on the websites of individual elected officials.

According to the Pew Research Center report in January 2016, Muslims represent just 1 to 2 percent of the country’s population.

However, the majority of the 3.3 million community lives in strategic places, or swing states, like Florida, Ohio and Virginia.

When the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based rights organization, launched its 2016 Muslims Vote campaign, the goal was to lead 1 million Muslim constituents to the voting booths.

A surge in Muslim electoral participation could have consequences beyond the presidential race, helping Democrats in down-ballot races and perhaps creating a more cohesive voting bloc in future presidential contests.