ARTESIA, Calif. — California has the highest population of South Asians in the country, and local community members are encouraging eligible voters to have their voice heard in the election. 

Members of the community have been canvassing and going door-to-door to stress the importance of casting a ballot. 

The South Asian Network, a local nonprofit based in Artesia, has been running its Desi Vote campaign. SAN provides pamphlets containing vital election information for South Asian voters, and helping constituents by answering questions and aiding with the language barrier. 

"We have been promoting our ballot guide, and it’s basically like all of the propositions, whether we support or oppose them, and why," said Leena Mumtaz, a community organizer with SAN. "We’ve written this with research according to what’s beneficial for the South Asian community."

Sarbjit Singh was born and raised in India, but moved to California three years ago. He has been canvassing with SAN and speaking with eligible voters from the South Asian community. 

"I used to work in social services in India," Singh said. "I like to volunteer as I want to help our community. The main purpose is to educate our community on the important of voting."

A recent event gave Singh extra motivation to get out to explain the importance of casting a ballot to other South Asians in the area. Singh said organizers were hoping to hold an event in Artesia for Garba, a South Asian dance festival. He said local government officials were unable to issue a permit for the celebration, and Singh said that he doesn't want to see that happen again. 

"If we participate to elect politicians, we can make them pay attention to the needs of our community," Singh said. "We won’t have instances like not getting a permit happen in the future."

There are currently five South Asians who have been elected to serve in the federal government, and the first in history was from California. Dalip Singh Saund represented a district in the San Fernando Valley in congress from 1957 to 1963. With roughly 900,000 people of South Asian descent living in the state, the community has the ability to impact change.

"The only way that people are going to be able to have their voice heard is through collective power, and that’s through voting as a community," Mumtaz said. "So, just in general getting out the vote, encouraging the South Asian community to vote, and that’s what our efforts have been directed towards."

Singh's message to eligible voters is simple, regardless of who they plan on supporting in the election. 

"The basic thing is people from our community need to go out and have their voice heard," he said. "Because if everyone doesn’t vote, we lose something as a whole."