Second Generation - Neil Makhija for Montgomery County Commissioner

Second Generation is proud to support Neil Makhija for Montgomery County Commissioner.

Neil Makhija, the son of Indian immigrants, is a Harvard-educated attorney, educator, and community organizer. He is currently on leave from serving as Executive Director of IMPACT, the nation’s leading South Asian civic organization, and as a Lecturer in election law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. 

Neil has been a longtime advocate for underrepresented communities and a champion of voter’s rights. In 2022, his public testimony on the fair redrawing of Pennsylvania’s gerrymandered state house maps helped lead to flipping the chamber for the first time in over a decade. While at IMPACT, Neil has transformed the organization into a national force that has become part of a broad coalition advocating for inclusive policy that affects the South Asian community. In 2021, he was chosen as one of 13 Asian American civil rights leaders to meet President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House to discuss immigration and voting rights. Neil has led the charge to elect dozens of Indian Americans around the country, as well as in building support to confirm historic judges and other major federal appointments.

Should Neil get elected, he would be the first South Asian member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and would represent the largest constituency of any independently-elected Indian American in the country. As Commissioner, Neil would be in charge of overseeing elections in one of Pennsylvania’s most important counties, including the upcoming 2024 presidential election. With over 865,000 people (3x the population of Pittsburgh), Montgomery County is a critical electorate for Democratic voter turnout.

“I believe that America is the world’s experiment in inclusive, multi-racial democracy and we must protect it. Protecting immigrants and supporting immigration is crucial to that journey. And I will always fight for this experiment. I’m running now because I know that when we commit to inclusive democracy, we can achieve key priorities that no one else thought was possible. Organizations like Second Generation will keep the American Dream alive.” — Neil Makhija

Read more about our endorsement of Neil here!