Asian Americans represented at Official Electoral Ballot Vote Count
Asian Pacific Islander American Vote last week was invited by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to witness the Joint Session of Congress to count Electoral College votes and declare Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States. APIAVote was part of a delegation of youth, minority, and progressive issues advocates that Speaker Pelosi had invited as her special guests.
“We were so proud and appreciative that we were able to represent all of our coalition partners at the Joint Session of Congress that elected the 44th President of the United States,” said Naomi T. Tacuyan, APIAVote deputy director. “Events such as the official counting of the Electoral College votes is the culmination of a democratic process that warrants full participation from the American public, and we will continue to encourage AAPIs to participate in this process.”
The Electoral College is the means by which the United States' president is elected. Electors of each state (which total the number of the state's Congressional delegation to the House and Senate) and the District of Columbia (three electoral votes) cast their electoral vote for the winner of the popular vote in their respective states.
APIAVote worked with national and local organizations to turn out the AAPI vote in 14 states in last year's historic presidential elections. APIAVote worked with national partners Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD), the Southeast Asian Resource & Action Center (SEARAC), and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and their local partners. Partners conducted voter education, registration, mobilization, and protection in Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida.
“It was heartening to hear Speaker Pelosi recognize our work along with dozens of other community advocates,” said Alvina Yeh. “We were encouraged by the emphasis that Speaker Pelosi put on youth advocates, and credit our wonderful coalition for getting out the AAPI vote on November 4. It was truly an honor to be invited as guests of the Speaker at the Joint Session to count the electoral vote.”
APIAVote is a national non-partisan, nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes civic participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the electoral and public policy processes at the national, state and local levels. APIAVote does not endorse parties or candidates. Please visit www.apiavote.org for more information.
Picture from www.sikhmediawatch.org