According to the results of an exit poll in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York, Asian American voters are open to candidates of both political parties in key states. The nonpartisan multilingual exit poll of 2,290 Asian American voters was conducted by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) after the mayoral election in New York and the gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia.
\n“Asian American voters in Virginia, many of whom are not enrolled in any political party, could be a decisive voting bloc in the 2014 midterm elections,” said AALDEF executive director Margaret Fung.<\/p>\n
AALDEF released preliminary results of its exit poll conducted at 24 poll sites in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. Of those surveyed in total, 62% were enrolled in the Democratic Party, 10% were enrolled in the Republican Party, and 26% were not enrolled in any party.
\nHowever, in the close race for governor in Virginia, 45% indicated that they were not affiliated with any party, 41% were affiliated with the Democratic Party, and 11% were affiliated with the Republican Party.
\nIn New Jersey, a majority (54%) of Asian American voters favored Republican Chris Christie over Democrat Barbara Buono (42%). 51% polled were enrolled as Democrats, 37% said they were not enrolled in any party, and 11% were enrolled as Republicans.
\nNew York had the highest number of Asian American registered Democratic voters, with 70% were enrolled in the Democratic Party, 18% not enrolled in any party, and 9% enrolled in the Republican Party.
\n\u201cThere is tremendous political diversity within the Asian American community,\u201d said Glenn D. Magpantay, Director of AALDEF’s Democracy Program. \u201cIssues and candidates drive the Asian American vote, rather than party affiliation. For candidates concerned with the issues that matter most to our community, the Asian American vote is up for grabs.\u201d
\nContact:
\nUjala Sehgal
\n212.966.5932 x.217
\nusehgal@aaldef.org
\nView results here >
\nRESULTS
\nAALDEF conducted the exit poll of 2,290 Asian American voters at 24 poll sites in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia in six languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bengali, and Punjabi. AALDEF also dispatched 300 attorneys, law students, and community volunteers to 60 poll sites to monitor the voting process.
\n524 Asian American voters were polled in Virginia, 221 voters were polled in New Jersey, and 1545 voters were polled in New York. The largest Asian ethnic groups polled were Chinese (39%), Korean (24%), Asian Indian (10%), Bangladeshi (9%), and Filipino (5%). Nearly one in ten (8%) of those polled were first-time voters.
\nThe exit poll was conducted in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bengali, and Punjabi. Below is a summary of AALDEF’s preliminary findings:
\nNEW YORK
\nIn the race for New York City Mayor, 79% of Asian American voters favored Democrat Bill de Blasio over Republican Joe Lhota (18%). Each Asian ethnic group — 79% of Chinese Americans, 85% of Korean Americans, 83% of Asian Indian Americans, and 93% of Bangladeshi Americans — voted for Democrat Bill de Blasio.
\nAsian Americans cited Economy\/Jobs as the most important issue influencing their votes.
\nEconomy\/Jobs was the dominant issue for 26% of Asian American voters, followed by Health Care (19%), Crime\/Public Safety (17%), Education (14%), Housing (9%), Ethnic\/Race Relations (6%), and Terrorism\/Security (5%).
\nThe majority of Asian American New Yorkers are registered as Democrats.
\n70% of Asian Americans surveyed were enrolled in the Democratic Party, 18% indicated that they were not enrolled in any party, and 9% were enrolled in the Republican Party.
\nCrossover voting was strong.
\n35% of registered Republicans crossed party lines to vote for de Blasio. 9% of registered Democrats voted for Lhota.
\nNEW JERSEY
\nIn the race for Governor, 54% of Asian American voters favored Republican Chris Christie over Democrat Barbara Buono (42%).
\n58% percent of Asian Indian Americans and a plurality of Korean Americans (49%) voted for Christie.
\nAsian Americans cited Economy\/Jobs as the most important issue influencing their votes.
\nEconomy\/Jobs was the dominant issue for 30% of Asian American voters, followed by Education (19%), Health Care (18%), Crime\/Public Safety (11%), Ethnic\/Race Relations (10%), Housing (6%), and Terrorism\/Security (4%).
\nA majority of Asian Americans are registered in the Democratic Party.
\nOf those surveyed, 51% were registered as Democrats, 37% said they were not enrolled in any party, and 11% were registered as Republicans.
\nCrossover voting was strong.
\n46% of registered Democrats crossed party lines to vote for Christie. 22% of registered Republicans voted for Buono.
\nVIRGINIA
\nIn the race for Governor, 71% of Asian American voters favored Democrat Terry McAuliffe compared to 26% favoring Republican Ken Cuccinelli.
\nEach Asian ethnic group — 83% of Asian Indian Americans, 70% of Chinese Americans, 68% of Korean Americans, and 69% of Vietnamese Americans — voted for McAuliffeby by wide margins.
\nAsian Americans cited Economy\/Jobs as the most important issue influencing their votes.
\nEconomy\/Jobs was the dominant issue for 31% of Asian American voters, followed by Health Care (25%), Education (16%), Crime\/Public Safety (8%), Ethnic\/Race Relations (7%), Other (6%), Terrorism\/Security (4%), and Housing (3%).
\nThe largest proportion of Asian American voters were not enrolled in any political party.
\n45% indicated that they were not enrolled in any party, 41% were enrolled in the Democratic Party, and 11% were enrolled in the Republican Party.
\nIMMIGRATION REFORM
\nA majority of Asian American voters favored comprehensive immigration reform.
\n67% of Asian Americans supported immigration reform, including a path to citizenship. 68% in New York supported immigration reform, 68% in New Jersey supported immigration reform, and 65% in Virginia supported immigration reform.
\nA majority of Asian American voters favor congressional candidates who support comprehensive immigration reform.
\nVoters were asked whether they would be likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who supported comprehensive immigration reform, with a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. 52% percent of total voters polled said they would be more likely to vote for that candidate, 15% were less likely, and 33% responded that it made no difference.
\nIn New York, 52% of voters polled said they would be more likely to vote for that candidate, 14% were less likely; and 34% responded that it made no difference. In New Jersey, 53% of voters polled said they would be more likely to vote for that candidate, 16% were less likely, and 31% responded that it made no difference. In Virginia, 53% of voters polled said they would be more likely to vote for that candidate, 16% were less likely, and 31% responded that it made no difference.
\nACCESS TO THE VOTE
\n50% of all Asian Americans polled read English less than \u201cvery well.\u201d
\nAcross all ethnic groups, limited English proficiency was high. 50% of all Asian Americans polled read English less than \u201cvery well.\u201d Language assistance is needed to ensure Asian Americans can fully exercise their right to vote.
\nUnder the Voting Rights Act, poll sites in New York and New Jersey are mandated to provide bilingual ballots and interpreters to assist Chinese-, Korean-, and Bengali-speaking voters. Some counties Virginia voluntarily provided Korean interpreters at certain poll sites. 30% percent of all respondents preferred to use some form of language assistance to vote.
\nAsian American voters also faced a number of barriers in exercising their right to vote.
\nOne contested ballot proposition in New York was mistranslated. Interpreter shortages made voting difficult for limited English proficient voters. Voters reported of encounters with hostile poll workers, excessive demands for identification, broken voting machines, and misdirection by poll workers:
\n–32 reported that their names were missing or had errors in the list of voters at poll sites
\n–12 had to vote by provisional ballot
\n–20 reported that poll workers did not know what to do
\n–12 reported that poll workers were rude or hostile
\n–18 reported that no interpreters or translations were available when they needed the help
\n–19 were directed to the wrong poll site or voting machine\/table within a site
\nAll of these voter problems were reported to the state and local elections officials.
\nAbout the Exit Poll:
\nAALDEF’s multilingual exit polls reveal vital information about Asian American voting patterns that is often overlooked in mainstream voter surveys. AALDEF has conducted exit polls of Asian American voters in every major election since 1988, noting the steadily increasing numbers of new citizen and first-time voters. In the 2012 Presidential Election, AALDEF surveyed 9,096 Asian American voters in 37 cities across 14 states.
\nA list of co-sponsoring organizations and law firms follows below.
\nNational Co-Sponsors:
\nAsian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
\nNational Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
\nNational Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
\nOCA: Asian Pacific American Advocates
\nSouth Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
\nState\/Local Co-Sponsors:
\nAlliance for South Asian American Labor (ASAAL)
\nAsian American Society of Central Virginia (AASOCVA)
\nAsian Pacific America Legal Resource Center (APALRC)
\nChhaya CDC
\nCoalition of Asian Pacific American of Virginia (CAPAVA)
\nMinkwon Center
\nNational Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) \u2013 DC and NY Chapters
\nLegal Co-Sponsors
\nAsian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY)
\nAsian Pacific American Bar Association of Greater DC (APABA-DC)
\nAsian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (APALA-NJ)
\nKorean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY)
\nMuslim Bar Association of New York (MuBANY)
\nNational Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
\nSouth Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY)
\nSouth Asian Bar Association of Greater DC
\nLaw Firms:
\nArent Fox LLP
\nCadwalader, Wickersham and Taft LLP
\nChadbourne & Parke LLP
\nClifford Chance LLP
\nCrowell & Moring LLP
\nDechert LLP
\nDentons
\nFish & Richardson P.C.
\nFried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
\nHogan Lovells
\nHolland & Knight LLP
\nMcCarter & English, LLP
\nMorrison and Foerster
\nNixon Peabody LLP
\nOrrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
\nPaul Hastings LLP
\nQuinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP
\nShearman & Sterling LLP
\nSidley Austin LLP
\nStroock, Stroock & Lavan
\nWhite & Case LLP
\nAbout AALDEF
\nThe Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), founded in 1974, is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education and organizing. AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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