Neil Makhija, an Indian-American Democratic candidate for Montgomery county commissioner, won the election to fill one of two majority party seats on the governing body of the third largest county in the state of Pennsylvania, on Tuesday.
Makhija, 37, is the first-ever Indian-American to serve on a county’s board of commissioners and in this new role he now oversees the board of elections in Montgomery county.This is seen as crucial role ahead of the 2024 presidential andUS Senate elections.
Other Indian-Americans who won important races in Tuesday’s election include Democrat Kannan Srinivasan who has been elected to the legislature of Virginia state as delegate for District 26; Vin Gopal, Democratic state senator for New Jersey who has been re-elected; Priya Tamilarasan who won the election for Gahanna city attorney in Ohio; Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat delegate serving the 87th district of Virginia who won the Virginia state senate election for District 32 and Balvir Singh, a Democrat, who retained the seat of county commissioner in Burlington, New Jersey.
“At a time when our fundamental rights and democracy itself are on the line, voters of Montgomery county chose a candidate who will fight to protect democratic principles and values,” said Makhija in a press release after the election results were announced. “I am incredibly grateful and humbled by the voters’ faith in our vision for a proactive approach to protecting our voting rights, keeping guns off our streets, and working to ensure that Montgomery county remains a great place to live and raise a family for all,” he added.
As commissioner, Makhija will oversee a $1 billion budget and 3,000 employees including elections, courts, district attorney’s office, public health departments, and public infrastructure. A Pennsylvania native, he graduated from Harvard Law School and teaches election law at the University of Pennsylvania.
Makhija, 37, is the first-ever Indian-American to serve on a county’s board of commissioners and in this new role he now oversees the board of elections in Montgomery county.This is seen as crucial role ahead of the 2024 presidential andUS Senate elections.
Other Indian-Americans who won important races in Tuesday’s election include Democrat Kannan Srinivasan who has been elected to the legislature of Virginia state as delegate for District 26; Vin Gopal, Democratic state senator for New Jersey who has been re-elected; Priya Tamilarasan who won the election for Gahanna city attorney in Ohio; Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat delegate serving the 87th district of Virginia who won the Virginia state senate election for District 32 and Balvir Singh, a Democrat, who retained the seat of county commissioner in Burlington, New Jersey.
“At a time when our fundamental rights and democracy itself are on the line, voters of Montgomery county chose a candidate who will fight to protect democratic principles and values,” said Makhija in a press release after the election results were announced. “I am incredibly grateful and humbled by the voters’ faith in our vision for a proactive approach to protecting our voting rights, keeping guns off our streets, and working to ensure that Montgomery county remains a great place to live and raise a family for all,” he added.
As commissioner, Makhija will oversee a $1 billion budget and 3,000 employees including elections, courts, district attorney’s office, public health departments, and public infrastructure. A Pennsylvania native, he graduated from Harvard Law School and teaches election law at the University of Pennsylvania.