How do Asian-Americans fare when it comes to voter turnout in the US? Can low turnout rates be attributed to the priorities of the community? Often said to be preoccupied with education and the affairs of home countries, the perception is that Asian-American voters don’t prioritize voting. Janelle Wong, PhD and Co-Director of AAPI Data, says data tells a different story. A leading research and policy organization, AAPI Data produces accurate data to shift narratives and drive action toward solutions for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.
We spoke with Janelle about what issues the AAPI community actually does care about, how the model minority myth makes its way into politics, and how other stereotypes like the “perpetual foreigner” still follow many folks today.
In relation to other ethnic groups, how does the AAPI community fare in terms of people registered to vote vs those not?
Asian Americans, along with Latinx, demonstrate lower rates of voting registration than the overall population.
Further reading:
In 2020, AAPIs saw the highest increases in voter turnout - AAPI Data
Why there's a long-standing voter registration gap for Latinos and Asian Americans - NPR
Is that statistic changing as the age and immigration trends of the AAPI community change?
Yes, both older age and length of residence are associated with higher rates of voter registration among Asian Americans. Young people in general are less likely to be registered to vote than older Americans. At the same time, youth voting among Asian Americans is rapidly increasing and they are now voting at a higher rate than their Black and Latinx peers.
Further reading:
Driven by Key Issues, Asian Youth Increased their Political Participation - Circle
What are some misperceptions or stereotypes that politicians and the general public have about AAPI communities when it comes to voting?
There are many. One of these stereotypes is the Model Minority Myth, based on the idea that Asian Americans are preoccupied with educational attainment. The way this plays out politically is the assumption that the best way to appeal to Asian American voters is to emphasize education policies.
The Model Minority Myth is problematic because it does not consider selective immigration policies in shaping the current educational profile of Asian Americans as a group, instead attributing high-levels of educational achievement to abstract cultural traits. It also fails to acknowledge the barriers that some segments of the Asian American community face when it comes to education. And by suggesting that all it takes to overcome systemic inequalities is to adopt the cultural values of Asian Americans, it is used to deny the effects of two centuries of enslavement and contemporary anti-Black racism.
The Model Minority Myth is also problematic as a political strategy. When candidates and campaigns fall into the trap of the Model Minority Myth, they assume education is the number one political priority for Asian Americans. This myth also fuels an assumption that Asian Americans are apolitical and afraid to rock the political boat.
Are there issues that do tend to be on the ballot more than others for our community?
Asian Americans’ top political priorities are similar to others: jobs and the economy.
They are more likely to support progressive tax policies, environmental policies, and gun control than other voters.
The "perpetual foreigner" stereotype suggests that Asian-Americans, regardless of their generation or citizenship status, are always seen as outsiders or foreigners. Is that still something Asian-Americans are fighting against?
The majority of Asian Americans, including voters, are foreign-born. At the same time, this does not mean they are uninterested in U.S. politics or preoccupied with politics in their home countries or foreign policy.
The assumption that all Asian Americans are a monolithic community with shared interests and concerns is also inaccurate. Asian Americans actually come from some of the most diverse backgrounds, cultures, and countries, and their political views can vary widely. Are there certain issues that your data has shown are more of a priority to certain ethnicities?
There is actually a surprising amount of consensus on support for government health care, gun control, and environmental protections across national origin groups.
Chinese Americans as a whole tend to be more moderate on issues of racial justice and immigration, Indian Americans tend to be more progressive on these issues. Though Vietnamese Americans have leaned more Republican in the past decade than other Asian American groups, they [Vietnamese] are among the most progressive on economic programs to support low-income people.
Another misconception is that Asian Americans are politically apathetic or unengaged. While this may have been true in the past, your data alone shows Asian Americans are increasingly active in politics and are becoming a significant voting bloc. Do you think it was COVID and anti Asian hate that spurred that change, or are there other factors?
As more Asian American immigrants spend more time in the U.S., they are more likely to participate in politics. That is a huge driver.
Are there social and class intersections that have an impact on voting, or the issues that voters care about most?
It’s interesting to note that even among the highest income Asian Americans, there is majority support for taxing the rich.
A big part of your research reveals how political hopefuls tend to overlook Asian voters, not necessarily for previously listed reasons, but because of their locations (most dense Asian communities live outside of battleground States). Are there any communities that are an exception to this trend?
Asian Americans in Georgia and Nevada are getting some good attention!
On the issue of conflict in Gaza: is there a broad stroke breakdown of how the AAPI community is feeling about the United State’s support of either Israel or Palestinians?
Asian Americans are more likely than Americans in general to believe that the U.S. should provide more support to Palestinians. At the same time, they are not hostile to Israel. A sizable chunk of Asian American registered voters (around 40%) consider the war in Gaza to be an issue that would bring them to the polls in November, regardless of the presidential candidates on the ballot.
Is it an issue that the data suggests will be of consideration to voters in November?
Jobs, economy, inflation, healthcare are all at the top.
