The Growing Influence of the AAPI Vote in the U.S.

With the Presidential 2024 election looming and politics news at the forefront, it would be remiss not to remind everyone about the importance of mobilizing our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities nationwide for the 2024 elections.

AAPI Voters in the US

In the past two decades, the AAPI community has become one of the fastest growing racial and ethnic groups in the United States. According to Pew Research Center, the Asian population in the U.S. grew by 81% between 2000 and 2019, and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders were the third fastest growing group with a 61% increase.

The largest AAPI populations are in states like New York, California, Texas, and Hawaii but other states have also seen significant increases in the last two decades. All of this to say that we have the power to shape and influence elections.

As NPR reported, there was a historic voter turnout during the 2020 presidential election of AAPI voters – the highest growth of any racial group with a 47% increase since 2016. Almost half of all AAPI voters who cast a ballot in 2020 did not vote in 2016, and a quarter had not voted before. The reason why is not surprising with the rise of anti-Asian hate and violence, the global pandemic, and an increase in new AAPI voters eligible to vote. 

Why AAPI Representation in Politics Matters

As important as it is to have prominent Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the federal government like Kamala Harris and Elaine Chao, it is crucial for AAPI voters to elect representatives that reflect our priorities. AAPIs are still the most underrepresented group in office with only 0.9% of elected officials, according to Politico, even though we are over 6% of the population.

A 68% majority of Asian registered voters have agreed it’s “extremely” or “very” important to have a national leader who can advance the U.S. community, according to a Pew Research survey conducted between 2022 and 2023. Asian registered voters tend to be Democrats (62%), though out of Vietnamese voters, most identify as Republican (51%). In the same study, Asian American voters noted down inflation as the most important issue facing their local community, followed by economic inequality, violent crime, and racism. However, this can differ based on whether Asian American voters were born in the U.S. or abroad. For example, Asian registered voters born in the U.S. were more likely to view economic inequality as the most important issue.

Why AAPIs Should Vote

Many AAPIs in America did not have access to vote until 1975 when the Voting Rights Act was passed. Now, we have several new generations that should not take voting for granted. 

AAPIs hold great economic and social influence in all aspects of America. Whether through Asian-owned businesses, Asian-founded tech giants, or the average AAPI community member, we are shaping the future of America. To reflect this in American society, we have to influence elected officials through our votes. 

The next Presidential election will be on November 5, 2024. You must vote in person either day of through your polling place or request an absentee ballot. Please check out the official website here for details. If you or someone you know needs assistance to vote and get questions answered in 8 Asian languages, please call the Voter Hotline.