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'''Ravi Singh''' is an American [[entrepreneur]], [[author]], and former [[politician]] convicted of 4 felony counts for illegally influencing the San Diego Mayoral election.<ref name="nbcsandiego1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Campaign-Finance-Scandal-Azano-Update-392783151.html|title=Mexican Billionaire Convicted in Campaign Finance Trial|access-date=2016-09-10}}</ref> He was the founder and CEO of Electionmall Technologies,<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | coauthors = | title =How Technology Is Revolutionizing Democracy | newspaper =CNN | location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =26 June 2008 | url =http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/26/technology.election/index.html#cnnSTCText | accessdate =4 February 2013 }}</ref> a non-partisan company that offers technology products and services tailored to those running for political office.<ref name="DigitalCommunities">{{cite news | last =Basu | first =Indrajit | coauthors = | title =The Technology Behind Election Campaigns| newspaper =Digital Communities| location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = 15 August 2008| url =http://www.digitalcommunities.com/articles/The-Technology-Behind-Election-Campaigns.html | accessdate =4 February 2013 }}</ref> Singh became known as the first U.S. cadet to graduate from a military academy with a [[turban]].<ref name="SikhAchievers"/><ref>{{cite news | last =Pais | first =Arthur J. | title =A Turbaned Ravi Singh Pens His American Story| newspaper =India Abroad | publisher =HighBeam Research | date =28 March 2003 | url =http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79286534.html | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140714224415/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79286534.html | url-status =dead | archive-date =14 July 2014 | accessdate =4 February 2013 }}</ref> His 1998 bid for the [[Illinois General Assembly|Illinois Legislature]] made him the first Asian to ever run for the position.<ref name="DailyHerald"/> Singh has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions including the ''[[The Sikh Awards|Sikh in Media Award]]'' in 2011, and a ''Rising Star,'' a prestigious honor given in politics.<ref name="NRIPolitics">{{cite news | last =Kumari | first =Sushma | coauthors = | title =NRi Sikh Honored One Of The Most Prestigious Honors To Be Given In Politics | newspaper =NRI Politicians| location = | pages =| language = | publisher = | date = 10 June 2007| url = http://www.nriinternet.com/NRIpoliticians/USA/A_Z/R/Ravi_Singh/3_Honoured_0061307.htm| accessdate =10 March 2013 }}</ref>
'''Ravi Singh''' (born May 24, 1972 in Aurora, Illinois) is an [[Asian Americans|Asian-American]] [[Sikhs|Sikh]] tech-entrepreneur, social media consultant and politics expert, former politician, author, lecturer, community activist, and golfer convicted of 4 felony counts for illegally influencing the [[San Diego]] Mayoral election in 2012 with social media services.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Mexican Billionaire Convicted in Campaign Finance Trial|url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/campaign-finance-scandal-azano-update/110637/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=NBC 7 San Diego|language=en-US}}</ref> He was the founder and CEO of ElectionMall Technologies, a non-partisan company that offered technology products and services tailored to those running for political office.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How technology is revolutionizing democracy - CNN.com|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/26/technology.election/index.html#cnnSTCText|access-date=2020-09-01|website=edition.cnn.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=The Technology Behind Election Campaigns|url=https://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/The-Technology-Behind-Election-Campaigns.html|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.govtech.com|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Minnema|first=Lindsay|date=2004-10-05|title=Alumnus finds political niche through Internet|url=https://dailynorthwestern.com/2004/10/05/archive-manual/alumnus-finds-political-niche-through-internet/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=The Daily Northwestern}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Khalsanews|url=http://www.khalsanews.org/newspics/2011/10Oct2011/14%20Oct%2011/14%20Oct%2011%20Ravi%20Singh%20get%202011%20Sikh%20Award.htm|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.khalsanews.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh Tuli|first=Pritpal|url=http://sikhsthesupreme.in/book/mightysikhs.pdf|title=The Mighty Sikhs|publisher=Dr. S.S. Gill|year=2017|isbn=|location=Amritsar|pages=299}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-06-13|title=NRI Sikh honoured by US magazine|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/nri-sikh-honoured-by-us-magazine/story-w3nNB2C5G2UkBLe3qkDjXI.html|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> Singh became known as the first U.S. cadet to graduate from a military academy with a [[turban]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Ranjit|title=Sikh Achievers|publisher=Hemkunt Press|year=2008|isbn=8170103657|location=|pages=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-07-14|title=A turbaned Ravi Singh pens his American story - India Abroad {{!}} HighBeam Research|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714224415/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79286534.html|access-date=2020-09-01|website=web.archive.org}}</ref> His 1998 bid for the [[Illinois Legislature]] made him the first Sikh to ever run for the position.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=Who Is Candidate Ravi Singh? Answers Found beyond Resume" by Krol, Eric - Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), February 9, 1998 {{!}} Online Research Library: Questia Reader|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-69010435/who-is-candidate-ravi-singh-answers-found-beyond|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.questia.com}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Delhi and neighbourhood|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050106/delhi.htm#7|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.tribuneindia.com}}</ref> Singh has received various awards, including the [[The Sikh Awards|Sikhs in Media Award]] in 2011, and a Rising Star, a prestigious honor given in politics.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kumari|first=Sushma|date=2007|title=NRI sikh honored one of the most prestigious honors to be given in politics.|url=https://www.nriinternet.com/NRIpoliticians/USA/A_Z/R/Ravi_Singh/3_Honoured_0061307.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.nriinternet.com}}</ref>

He is the author of “Leadership by Turban: An American Story,” “Democracy 2.0,” and “Technology and Citizen Participation in the Construction of Democracy,” and other articles. He served as an aide to the Lieutenant Governor and State Treasurer of [[Illinois]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=Indian-Origin Man Jailed In US Mayoral Election Funding Scandal|url=https://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/indian-origin-man-jailed-in-us-mayoral-election-funding-scandal-1745238|access-date=2020-09-01|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> He holds a doctoral degree with a specialization in [[social media]] and technology.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=Donald J. Trump’s Social Media Voice Effects on Follower Engagement: An In-depth Tone Analysis of Leadership Personas in 35,647 Tweets from 2009–2018 Using Artificial Intelligence - ProQuest|url=https://search.proquest.com/openview/30286d466b8904f5004ab2d895bcdab5/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y|access-date=2020-09-01|website=search.proquest.com|language=en}}</ref>

He is the first Sikh to captain [[NCAA Division I]] Golf team.<ref name=":6" />


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Singh was born in the United States and is the first-born son of immigrant parents<ref name="SikhAchievers"/> who came to the United States from India in the 1960s. His father was a radiologist at [[Rush–Copley Medical Center]] and his mother was a homemaker.<ref name="AsianWeekCandidate">{{cite news | last =Elgera | first =Bert | coauthors = | title =Legislative Candidate | newspaper =Asian Week| location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = 1997-10-16| url =http://www.asianweek.com/101697/newsmaker.html | accessdate =4 February 2013 }}</ref>
Singh was born and raised in Aurora, Illinois, to U.S. immigrant parents who came to the United States from India in the 1960s.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> He was raised in [[Sikhism|Sikh faith]], in which wearing a turban and full beard are basic religious constituents.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|title=Ravi Singh, wins prestigious 'Sikhs in Media Award' at the 2011 Sikh Awards|url=http://www.sikhnet.com/news/ravi-singh-wins-prestigious-sikhs-media-award-2011-sikh-awards|access-date=2020-09-01|website=SikhNet|language=en}}</ref>


At the age of 14, Singh attended [[Marmion Academy|Marmion Military Academy]] in [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]], Illinois<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Marmion Military Academy | work = | publisher =Sikh Women | date =| url = http://www.sikhwomen.com/equality/social/military/Ravi.htm| doi = | accessdate =4 February 2013 }}</ref> where he was not allowed to wear his turban. Singh was allowed to wear his turban but was not allowed to participate in Army drills with his turban. Shortly after entering the academy, co-sponsored legislation introduced by [[Paul Simon (politician)|Senator Paul Simon]] and [[Dennis Hastert|Congressman Dennis Hastert]] and later signed by [[President Ronald Reagan]], allowed him to graduate with his turban.<ref name="SikhAchievers"/> His mother fought for the legislation which also allowed Jews to wear religious headdress while attending military academies.<ref name="AsianWeekCandidate"/> He graduated from the academy with full honors as a brevet 2nd Lieutenant in the Illinois National Guard.<ref name="SikhAchievers"/>
At the age of 14, Singh attended [[Marmion Military Academy]] in [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]], Illinois where he was not allowed to wear his turban.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Marmion Military Academy|url=http://www.sikhwomen.com/equality/social/military/Ravi.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.sikhwomen.com}}</ref> Singh was allowed to wear his turban but was not allowed to participate in Army drills with his turban. He was expelled from the military school after he refused to remove his turban. Singh’s parents went to U.S. Representative [[Dennis Hastert|J. Dennis Hastert]], to draft legislation where discrimination based on turbans would be declared illegal. He then graduated from Marmion Military Academy in 1990. Shortly after entering the academy, co-sponsored legislation introduced by [[Paul Simon (politician)|Senator Paul Simon]] and Congressman Dennis Hastert and later signed by [[Ronald Reagan|President Ronald Reagan]], allowed him to graduate with his turban and with full honors as a [[Second lieutenant|2nd Lieutenant]].<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> His mother fought for the legislation which also allowed Jews to wear religious headdress while attending military academies. He graduated from the academy with full honors as a [[Brevet (military)|brevet]] 2nd Lieutenant in the [[Illinois National Guard]].<ref name=":4" />


Singh attended [[Valparaiso University]], a [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] university located in [[Valparaiso, Indiana|Valparaiso]], Indiana. During his time as student body president, he spoke at the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago.<ref>{{cite news | title =Peaceful Beliefs Drive Religions| newspaper =Post-Tribune | location =Indiana | publisher =HighBeam Research | date =3 September 1993| url =http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-1084EBD62F48FCB1.html | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160309182906/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-1084EBD62F48FCB1.html | url-status =dead | archive-date =9 March 2016 | accessdate =4 February 2013 }}</ref> He went on to Northwestern University where he earned his master's degree in Political Science in 1995.<ref name="AsianWeekCandidate"/>
Singh attended [[Valparaiso University]], a [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] university located in [[Valparaiso, Indiana|Valparaiso]], [[Indiana]]. Singh got his Bachelor of Science degree from Valparaiso University, where he was elected to be the first Sikh-American student body president.<ref name=":10">{{Cite book|last=Hawley|first=Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/sikh-diaspora-theory-agency-and-experience/oclc/849740954|title=Sikh diaspora : theory, agency, and experience|publisher=Brill|year=2013|isbn=9004252606|location=|pages=}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite web|date=2016-03-09|title=PEACEFUL BELIEFS DRIVE RELIGIONS - Post-Tribune (IN) {{!}} HighBeam Research|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309182906/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-1084EBD62F48FCB1.html|access-date=2020-09-01|website=web.archive.org}}</ref> During his time as student body president, he spoke at the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions in [[Chicago]].<ref name=":11" /> He went on to [[Northwestern University]] where he earned his master's degree in [[Political science|Political Science]] in 1995 and he completed his second Master Degree at [[Liberty University]] in 2019.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite web|last=Moran|first=Greg|date=2014-01-22|title=Elections 'guru' has been controversial|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sdut-ravi-singh-san-diego-campaign-finance-scandal-2014jan22-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-01|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":9" /><ref name=":7" />

He completed his Master Degree in Political Science in nine months and wrote a dissertation on Asian American political participation and talked about the challenges that [[Sikh Americans|Sikh-Americans]] had to deal with by being mislabeled and by not being considered Asian-Americans. In 2019, Singh acquired his Ph.D. in social media and technology from [[Ashford University]] and finished his studies at [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]], [[Duke University|Duke]], and [[Harvard University|Harvard]] in [[digital marketing]] and leadership programs.<ref name=":8" />


==Political career==
==Political career==
[[File:RaviSinghGraduation.jpg|thumb|Ravi Singh at his graduation from [[Marmion Academy]] in Aurora, Illinois.]]
[[File:RaviSinghGraduation.jpg|thumb|Ravi Singh at his graduation from [[Marmion Academy]] in Aurora, Illinois.]]
Singh went to school to become a doctor like his father, but later decided to go a political route after becoming hooked on politics in college. After graduating from Northwestern, he worked as a legislative assistant to then Illinois Lt Governor Bob Kustra. A year later he went to work for Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka and served as liaison to the Asian Pacific American community. At 25, he ran for the State Legislature for the Illinois’ 42nd Assembly District. The district's population was only 2% Asian American at the time.<ref name="AsianWeekCandidate"/> Singh lost the election and attributes the loss partially to his refusal to remove his turban during the campaign. He was quoted in the [[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook Magazine]] as stating, “if I do that, I will not be true to my faith and my work…If I give up my identity and values, I’ll not be Asian or an American. I’ll be nobody.”<ref name="MCP"/>
After graduating from Northwestern, he worked as a legislative assistant to then Illinois Lt Governor [[Bob Kustra]]. A year later he went to work for Illinois State Treasurer [[Judy Baar Topinka]] and served as liaison to the Asian Pacific American community. In 1997, at 25, he ran for the State Legislature for the Illinois’ 42nd Assembly District.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Curran|first=Tom|last2=Singh|first2=Ravi|date=2011-06-01|title=E-democracy as the Future Face of Democracy: A Case Study of the 2011 Irish Elections|url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s12290-011-0154-6|journal=European View|language=en|volume=10|issue=1|pages=25–31|doi=10.1007/s12290-011-0154-6|issn=1781-6858}}</ref> The district's population was only 2% Asian-American at the time. Singh gained the support of the owner of the local [[Domino's Pizza|Domino’s Pizza]] restaurant.<ref name=":10" /> Singh lost the election and attributes the loss partially to his refusal to remove his turban during the campaign. He was quoted in the [[The Outlook Magazine|Outlook Magazine]] as stating, “if I do that, I will not be true to my faith and my work…If I give up my identity and values, I’ll not be Asian or an American. I’ll be nobody.”<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=31 May 2008|title=Mouse-Click Pollster|work=Outlook Magazine|location=India|url=https://www.business.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?101194|url-status=live|access-date=}}</ref> Even though he did not win the elections, he landed on the position of administrative assistant for the Illinois Lt. Governor and State Treasurer.<ref name=":10" />

Singh was a member of [[European Association of Political Consultants|EAPC]] (European), the [[American Association of Political Consultants|AAPC]] (American) Associations of Political Consultants, and [[International Association of Political Consultants|IAPC]] (International), where he is part of the board members. He has published articles for [[George Washington University]], and these revolve around Campaign Relationship Management and Voter Space.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Conference 2010 {{!}} Speakers {{!}} Personal Democracy Forum {{!}} Ravi Singh|url=https://personaldemocracy.com/pdf-conference-2010-june-3-5-new-york-city-speakers#singh|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-01|website=personaldemocracy.com}}</ref>

He has served as a technology adviser for [[Juan Manuel Santos]], the former [[Colombians|Colombian]] President. He was invited to the 10th annual Art and Science of Public Affairs conference to discuss U.S politics. He has also served as an advisor to [[Enda Kenny]], Prime Minister of [[Ireland]], and has assisted over 9 heads of states get elected using his software.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Singh's star turn for Fine Gael|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/singh-s-star-turn-for-fine-gael-1.585032|access-date=2020-09-01|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=WINNERS 2011|url=https://www.thesikhawards.com/winners-2011-list/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=The Sikh Awards|language=en-US}}</ref>


==Election influence and criminal conviction==
==Election influence and criminal conviction==
Singh founded ElectionMall Technologies in 1999. He realized after his loss in the Illinois State Legislature election that there was no company offering candidates any type of technology solution for fighting campaigns digitally.<ref name="DigitalCommunities"/> In a 2004 cover story for USA Weekend, Singh was quoted as saying, “we want the mother running for school board to have the same tools as a senator.”<ref name="YearofTheNet"/>
Singh founded ElectionMall Technologies in 1999. He realized after his loss in the Illinois State Legislature election that there was no company offering candidates any type of technology solution for fighting campaigns digitally.<ref name=":1" /> In a 2004 cover story for [[USA Weekend]], Singh was quoted as saying, “we want the mother running for school board to have the same tools as a senator.”<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=18 July 2004|title=Year of the net|url=http://159.54.226.237/04_issues/040718/040718election.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-01|website=USA Weekend Magazine}}</ref>


ElectionMall, founded in 1999 a non-partisan campaign technology company in Washington, D.C., hit the headlines when a criminal complaint against its Founder and CEO Ravi Singh was unsealed, revealing that the Justice Department had charged him with illegally helping a foreigner to influence the election process in San Diego during the 2012 and 2013 election cycles through an independent political action committee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Besieged Campaign Tech Company ElectionMall Has Had A Troubled History|url=http://techpresident.com/news/24714/besieged-campaign-tech-company-electionmall-has-had-troubled-history|website=TechPresident|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> Singh was arrested January 17, 2014, and released on bail four days later.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Campaign Services Professional Arraigned for Role in Campaign Finance Crimes|url=https://www.fbi.gov/sandiego/press-releases/2014/campaign-services-professional-arraigned-for-role-in-campaign-finance-crimes|website=FBI|language=en-us|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref>
In 2011, a false claim was made by online publication [[Politico]] about Singh being the ‘internet guru,’ for the former U.S President, [[Barack Obama|Barrack Obama]]. Singh, a long-standing [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], declined and apologized for any misunderstandings. ElectionMall, founded in 1999 a non-partisan campaign technology company in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington, D.C]]., hit the headlines when a criminal complaint against its Founder and CEO Singh was unsealed, revealing that the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] had charged him with illegally helping a foreigner to influence the election process in [[San Diego]] during the 2012 and 2013 election cycles through an independent political action committee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Besieged Campaign Tech Company ElectionMall Has Had A Troubled History|url=http://techpresident.com/news/24714/besieged-campaign-tech-company-electionmall-has-had-troubled-history|access-date=2020-09-01|website=TechPresident}}</ref> Singh was arrested January 17, 2014, and released on bail four days later.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Campaign Services Professional Arraigned for Role in Campaign Finance Crimes|url=https://www.fbi.gov/sandiego/press-releases/2014/campaign-services-professional-arraigned-for-role-in-campaign-finance-crimes|access-date=2020-09-01|website=FBI|language=en-us}}</ref> On September 9, 2016, a Federal Jury found Singh guilty on 4 felony counts related to a conspiracy to make contributions in a U.S. election on behalf of a foreign national.<ref name=":0" /> He later appealed the case to the [[Appellate court]] but still could face 15 months in USA federal prison.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":13">{{Cite web|last=Davis|first=Kristina|date=2017-09-01|title='Campaign guru' gets prison in Azano San Diego mayoral election-funding scheme|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-singh-sentence-20170830-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-01|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-01-22|title=The Story Behind Those Illegal Campaign Contributions in San Diego|url=https://sandiegofreepress.org/2014/01/the-story-behind-those-illegal-campaign-contributions-in-san-diego/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=San Diego Free Press|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Magazine for People in Politics {{!}} Campaigns & Elections|url=https://www.campaignsandelections.com/prestitial|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.campaignsandelections.com}}</ref> He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and was quoted as saying "I’ve always wanted to serve my country, now I can’t even vote"<ref name=":13" /> ElectionMall has closed operations since December 2016 due to the ongoing cost of the litigation.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Sd-1504229285-kxtjr60uhm-snap-image.jpg|alt=Ravi Singh after being sentenced to prison.|thumb|Ravi Singh at the Federal Courthouse in San Diego after being sentenced to a fine and 15 months in prison.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-singh-sentence-20170830-story.html|title='Campaign guru' gets prison in Azano San Diego mayoral election-funding scheme|last=Davis|first=Kristina|work=sandiegouniontribune.com|access-date=2017-09-11|language=en-US}}</ref>]] -->
On September 9, 2016, a Federal Jury found Singh guilty on 4 Felony Counts related to a conspiracy to make contributions in a U.S. election on behalf of a Foreign National.<ref name="nbcsandiego1"/> He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and was quoted as saying "I’ve always wanted to serve my country, now I can’t even vote" <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-singh-sentence-20170830-story.html|title='Campaign guru' gets prison in Azano San Diego mayoral election-funding scheme|last=Davis|first=Kristina|work=sandiegouniontribune.com|access-date=2017-09-11|language=en-US}}</ref> ElectionMall has closed operations since December 2016 due to the ongoing cost of the litigation.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==

Revision as of 06:46, 1 September 2020

Ravi Singh
CitizenshipUnited States
EducationMasters in Political Science[1]
Bachelor of Science
Alma materNorthwestern University
Valparaiso University[2]
Known forFirst Asian candidate for Illinois Legislature[3]
ElectionMall Technologies[4]
Convicted of Illegally influencing San Diego Mayoral Campaign and Bribery[5]
Awards
Websitewww.ravisingh.com

Ravi Singh (born May 24, 1972 in Aurora, Illinois) is an Asian-American Sikh tech-entrepreneur, social media consultant and politics expert, former politician, author, lecturer, community activist, and golfer convicted of 4 felony counts for illegally influencing the San Diego Mayoral election in 2012 with social media services.[7] He was the founder and CEO of ElectionMall Technologies, a non-partisan company that offered technology products and services tailored to those running for political office.[8][9][10][11][12][13] Singh became known as the first U.S. cadet to graduate from a military academy with a turban.[14][15] His 1998 bid for the Illinois Legislature made him the first Sikh to ever run for the position.[16][10][11][17] Singh has received various awards, including the Sikhs in Media Award in 2011, and a Rising Star, a prestigious honor given in politics.[18]

He is the author of “Leadership by Turban: An American Story,” “Democracy 2.0,” and “Technology and Citizen Participation in the Construction of Democracy,” and other articles. He served as an aide to the Lieutenant Governor and State Treasurer of Illinois.[19] He holds a doctoral degree with a specialization in social media and technology.[20]

He is the first Sikh to captain NCAA Division I Golf team.[17]

Early life and education

Singh was born and raised in Aurora, Illinois, to U.S. immigrant parents who came to the United States from India in the 1960s.[14][11] He was raised in Sikh faith, in which wearing a turban and full beard are basic religious constituents.[21]

At the age of 14, Singh attended Marmion Military Academy in Aurora, Illinois where he was not allowed to wear his turban.[22] Singh was allowed to wear his turban but was not allowed to participate in Army drills with his turban. He was expelled from the military school after he refused to remove his turban. Singh’s parents went to U.S. Representative J. Dennis Hastert, to draft legislation where discrimination based on turbans would be declared illegal. He then graduated from Marmion Military Academy in 1990. Shortly after entering the academy, co-sponsored legislation introduced by Senator Paul Simon and Congressman Dennis Hastert and later signed by President Ronald Reagan, allowed him to graduate with his turban and with full honors as a 2nd Lieutenant.[10][11][14] His mother fought for the legislation which also allowed Jews to wear religious headdress while attending military academies. He graduated from the academy with full honors as a brevet 2nd Lieutenant in the Illinois National Guard.[14]

Singh attended Valparaiso University, a Lutheran university located in Valparaiso, Indiana. Singh got his Bachelor of Science degree from Valparaiso University, where he was elected to be the first Sikh-American student body president.[23][24] During his time as student body president, he spoke at the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago.[24] He went on to Northwestern University where he earned his master's degree in Political Science in 1995 and he completed his second Master Degree at Liberty University in 2019.[16][25][21][19]

He completed his Master Degree in Political Science in nine months and wrote a dissertation on Asian American political participation and talked about the challenges that Sikh-Americans had to deal with by being mislabeled and by not being considered Asian-Americans. In 2019, Singh acquired his Ph.D. in social media and technology from Ashford University and finished his studies at MIT, Duke, and Harvard in digital marketing and leadership programs.[20]

Political career

File:RaviSinghGraduation.jpg
Ravi Singh at his graduation from Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois.

After graduating from Northwestern, he worked as a legislative assistant to then Illinois Lt Governor Bob Kustra. A year later he went to work for Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka and served as liaison to the Asian Pacific American community. In 1997, at 25, he ran for the State Legislature for the Illinois’ 42nd Assembly District.[17][26] The district's population was only 2% Asian-American at the time. Singh gained the support of the owner of the local Domino’s Pizza restaurant.[23] Singh lost the election and attributes the loss partially to his refusal to remove his turban during the campaign. He was quoted in the Outlook Magazine as stating, “if I do that, I will not be true to my faith and my work…If I give up my identity and values, I’ll not be Asian or an American. I’ll be nobody.”[27] Even though he did not win the elections, he landed on the position of administrative assistant for the Illinois Lt. Governor and State Treasurer.[23]

Singh was a member of EAPC (European), the AAPC (American) Associations of Political Consultants, and IAPC (International), where he is part of the board members. He has published articles for George Washington University, and these revolve around Campaign Relationship Management and Voter Space.[28]

He has served as a technology adviser for Juan Manuel Santos, the former Colombian President. He was invited to the 10th annual Art and Science of Public Affairs conference to discuss U.S politics. He has also served as an advisor to Enda Kenny, Prime Minister of Ireland, and has assisted over 9 heads of states get elected using his software.[29][30]

Election influence and criminal conviction

Singh founded ElectionMall Technologies in 1999. He realized after his loss in the Illinois State Legislature election that there was no company offering candidates any type of technology solution for fighting campaigns digitally.[9] In a 2004 cover story for USA Weekend, Singh was quoted as saying, “we want the mother running for school board to have the same tools as a senator.”[31]

In 2011, a false claim was made by online publication Politico about Singh being the ‘internet guru,’ for the former U.S President, Barrack Obama. Singh, a long-standing Republican, declined and apologized for any misunderstandings. ElectionMall, founded in 1999 a non-partisan campaign technology company in Washington, D.C., hit the headlines when a criminal complaint against its Founder and CEO Singh was unsealed, revealing that the Justice Department had charged him with illegally helping a foreigner to influence the election process in San Diego during the 2012 and 2013 election cycles through an independent political action committee.[32] Singh was arrested January 17, 2014, and released on bail four days later.[33] On September 9, 2016, a Federal Jury found Singh guilty on 4 felony counts related to a conspiracy to make contributions in a U.S. election on behalf of a foreign national.[7] He later appealed the case to the Appellate court but still could face 15 months in USA federal prison.[25][34][19][35][36] He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and was quoted as saying "I’ve always wanted to serve my country, now I can’t even vote"[34] ElectionMall has closed operations since December 2016 due to the ongoing cost of the litigation.

Personal life

Singh is a practicing Sikh. Singh is a resident of Aurora, Illinois. He is a member of the Chicago area Sikh community.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Mouse-Click Pollster". Outlook Magazine. India. 31 May 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2013. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ Smith, Wes (1 May 1994). "Trial And Error". Chicago Tribune. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Krol, Eric (9 February 1998). "Who Is Candidate Ravi Singh". Daily Herald. Questia Online Library. Retrieved 4 February 2013. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ Roberts, Cokie (18 July 2004). "Year of the Net". USA Weekend. Retrieved 4 February 2013. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ Sloss, Jason (9 September 2016). "Mexican businessman convicted in scheme to funnel money into mayoral campaigns". Fox5SanDiego. City News Service. Retrieved 9 September 2016. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ a b "2010 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business". Asian American Business. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Mexican Billionaire Convicted in Campaign Finance Trial". NBC 7 San Diego. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  8. ^ "How technology is revolutionizing democracy - CNN.com". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  9. ^ a b "The Technology Behind Election Campaigns". www.govtech.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  10. ^ a b c Minnema, Lindsay (2004-10-05). "Alumnus finds political niche through Internet". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  11. ^ a b c d "Khalsanews". www.khalsanews.org. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  12. ^ Singh Tuli, Pritpal (2017). The Mighty Sikhs (PDF). Amritsar: Dr. S.S. Gill. p. 299.
  13. ^ "NRI Sikh honoured by US magazine". Hindustan Times. 2007-06-13. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  14. ^ a b c d Singh, Ranjit (2008). Sikh Achievers. Hemkunt Press. ISBN 8170103657.
  15. ^ "A turbaned Ravi Singh pens his American story - India Abroad | HighBeam Research". web.archive.org. 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  16. ^ a b "Who Is Candidate Ravi Singh? Answers Found beyond Resume" by Krol, Eric - Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), February 9, 1998 | Online Research Library: Questia Reader". www.questia.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  17. ^ a b c "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Delhi and neighbourhood". www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  18. ^ Kumari, Sushma (2007). "NRI sikh honored one of the most prestigious honors to be given in politics". www.nriinternet.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ a b c "Indian-Origin Man Jailed In US Mayoral Election Funding Scandal". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  20. ^ a b "Donald J. Trump's Social Media Voice Effects on Follower Engagement: An In-depth Tone Analysis of Leadership Personas in 35,647 Tweets from 2009–2018 Using Artificial Intelligence - ProQuest". search.proquest.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  21. ^ a b "Ravi Singh, wins prestigious 'Sikhs in Media Award' at the 2011 Sikh Awards". SikhNet. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  22. ^ "Marmion Military Academy". www.sikhwomen.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ a b c Hawley, Michael (2013). Sikh diaspora : theory, agency, and experience. Brill. ISBN 9004252606.
  24. ^ a b "PEACEFUL BELIEFS DRIVE RELIGIONS - Post-Tribune (IN) | HighBeam Research". web.archive.org. 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  25. ^ a b Moran, Greg (2014-01-22). "Elections 'guru' has been controversial". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2020-09-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ Curran, Tom; Singh, Ravi (2011-06-01). "E-democracy as the Future Face of Democracy: A Case Study of the 2011 Irish Elections". European View. 10 (1): 25–31. doi:10.1007/s12290-011-0154-6. ISSN 1781-6858.
  27. ^ "Mouse-Click Pollster". Outlook Magazine. India. 31 May 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ "Conference 2010 | Speakers | Personal Democracy Forum | Ravi Singh". personaldemocracy.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ "Singh's star turn for Fine Gael". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  30. ^ "WINNERS 2011". The Sikh Awards. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  31. ^ "Year of the net". USA Weekend Magazine. 18 July 2004. Retrieved 2020-09-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ "Besieged Campaign Tech Company ElectionMall Has Had A Troubled History". TechPresident. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  33. ^ "Campaign Services Professional Arraigned for Role in Campaign Finance Crimes". FBI. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  34. ^ a b Davis, Kristina (2017-09-01). "'Campaign guru' gets prison in Azano San Diego mayoral election-funding scheme". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2020-09-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ "The Story Behind Those Illegal Campaign Contributions in San Diego". San Diego Free Press. 2014-01-22. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  36. ^ "The Magazine for People in Politics | Campaigns & Elections". www.campaignsandelections.com. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
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