Makhija had contested the primary election on May 16 for Commissioner of Montgomery County, which has one of the largest Asian-American populations in Pennsylvania
Indian-American attorney and educator Neil Makhija has won the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County Commissioner, reported IANS.
That has helped him come closer to becoming the first Asian-American to hold the top post in Pennsylvania state.
Makhija had contested the primary election on May 16 for Commissioner of Montgomery County, which has one of the largest Asian-American populations in Pennsylvania.
“It’s official! Our underdog campaign succeeded and I have officially won the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County Commissioner,” Makhija took to his Twitter to share the news.
“None of this would have happened without my incredible team + supporters, and for that I am immeasurably grateful. Together, we made history,” he tweeted.
Makhija, who belongs to a Sindhi family from India, will now be competing in the November general election to determine control of the three-member Board of Commissioners in Pennsylvania’s third largest county with over 865,000 people.
If elected, the 36-year-old election law professor at the University of Pennsylvania would be the first South Asian member to serve for the position left open by outgoing commissioner Valerie Arkoosh.
“Congratulations to my friend, @NeilMakhija, on becoming the Democratic nominee for Montgomery County (PA) Commissioner!,” Aruna Miller, Maryland’s first Indian-American Lieutenant Governor, tweeted.
Makhija worked at the White House, Senate, and earned his JD at Harvard Law School on the Horace Lentz Scholarship. As the son of Indian immigrants, the Pennsylvania native is passionate about enfranchising underrepresented communities and engaging new citizens in state and local politics
In an email to his supporters, a victorious Makhija said his campaign “inspired a new and diverse coalition of voters to turn out to vote in every corner of the county”.
Montgomery County Commission is the governing body of Montgomery County, consisting of five members who are elected by districts.
Each Commissioner is elected to a four-year term and represents approximately 45,000 constituents.
The Montgomery County Commission’s responsibilities include control of all county public funds, adoption of an annual budget reflecting anticipated income and expenses (by law, expenditures cannot exceed revenue received).
If elected, Makhija, along with other commissioners, will be tasked with managing a budget greater than $500 million and 3,000 employees including elections, courts, district attorney’s office, public health departments and public infrastructure.
The commissioners will also oversee administration of the 2024 presidential election, which is expected to put local election officials in the spotlight in battleground Pennsylvania.
Makhija worked at the White House, Senate, and earned his JD at Harvard Law School on the Horace Lentz Scholarship. As the son of Indian immigrants, the Pennsylvania native is passionate about enfranchising underrepresented communities and engaging new citizens in state and local politics.
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com
