ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — With early voting entering its final week in Central Florida, voter turnout is top of mind for several local organizations.

Asian American Pacific Islanders Coming Together hosted its first-ever phone bank-a-thon on Saturday.

Organizers say the overall goal for the event was to connect with the growing AAPI community in Orange County.

“We’re here talking about issues like inflation, the economy, education. Things that matter around the kitchen table no matter what ethnicity you are,” explained Ricky Ly, the cofounder of ACT.

According to ACT, AAPI individuals are the least likely to vote for any group.

Saturday’s event was created to help change that statistic in the future.

“I think they can make a big difference in any election. Whichever side,” said Prakash Ghatge.

Ghatge has called Orange County his home for six years now.

Before moving to Central Florida, he spent 31 years living in Pennsylvania, serving his community as an emergency medicine physician.

With Election Day quickly approaching, he’s wearing a different title as a volunteer, encouraging voter turnout.

“What we’re trying to do is encourage everybody to vote and express their opinions because without, we’re not going to learn what the people want,” shared Ghatge.

The retired doctor was one of several people making calls to AAPI residents in the area.

The group made calls to reach the 20,000 AAPI registered voters in Orange County and remind them how important it is to exercise their voting rights.

“Trying to make that connect on, ‘Hey, it’s important for us to go out and vote because these issues matter to us,’ and if we’re not speaking up for ourselves, someone will speak up for us,” said Ly.

ACT is also planning an early vote rally on Nov. 5.

A text banking day is something the organization also wants to put together.

For volunteers like Ghatge, he says days and events like this are vital ahead of Election Day.

He believes voting is one of the most efficient ways of having your voice heard.

“And the only way we can express it peacefully is by going to vote,” Ghatge explained.