This being an important election year, there's been a lot of talk about the growing influence of Asian American voters and the important role we could have in electing the next president. But what does that actually mean? Super Tuesday showed that we can have an impact, and we certainly possess the numbers and momentum. But how do we keep it going where it matters?
Yes, our influence is growing, but more can still be done to increase voter registration and citizen rates in our community, according to a recent analysis conducted by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, the UC Asian American and Pacific Islander Policy Initiative, and the Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics.
The report, based on 2006 U.S. census figures, charts Asian American electoral trends in the context of population growth, demographics and immigration status and highlights the challenges of translating Asian Americans' growing numbers into strength at the polls: INFLUENCE OF ASIAN AMERICAN VOTERS INCREASING IN STATE, U.S. ELECTIONS.
You can download and read the report here: Awakening the New "Sleeping Giant"? Asian American Political Engagement (PDF) by Paul Ong, Melany Dela Cruz-Viesca, and Don Nakanishi.
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