Asians in U.S. are a fast-growing electorate group, yet campaigns are slow to reach voters
Mary ChaoAsian Americans are the fastest-growing segment of eligible voters out of the major racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. More than 11 million will be able to vote this year, making up nearly 5% of the nation’s eligible voters.
In New Jersey, Asian Americans account for 10% of the state's 8.9 million population. In towns such as Fort Lee and Leonia in Bergen County, Asians account for more than 40% of the residents.
If demographics are destiny, then Asian Americans are a powerful electoral force here in the Garden State. But a recent study shows that neither of the two major political parties is doing a good job of Asian outreach.
The 2020 Asian American Voter Survey data, released last month, found that even as the Asian American electorate continues to grow, its voters are still reporting little outreach from either political party.
“The survey shows that more than half of voters are reporting little or no contact from either major party,” Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote, the group that sponsored the poll, said in a statement. “Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial group in the country, and we’ve seen voters make an impact at the polls."
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Fifty-four percent of Asian voters planned to vote for Joe Biden this year, compared with 30% for President Donald Trump, according to the survey, which polled 1,569 registered voters.
In a tight race, the group could prove essential in key battleground states, APIAVote said in its report.
"Asian Americans constitute a critical mass in several competitive states, including Arizona, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina," the group said. "They are likely to be influential in congressional races in Southern California, Texas, and New Jersey, as well as in other states."
"Asians are of value," said Rajiv Prasad of Somerset, a former elected official and Democrat who is active in New Jersey South Asian groups. "That extra one to two percent can make a difference."
Asian Americans are a diverse group with many interests. Unlike Hispanic voters, who are united by language, there are myriad languages that fall within the Asian umbrella, which may make outreach more costly and time-consuming for campaigns.
For Smitha Raj, an immigrant from India who lives in South Brunswick, education is of key importance. Her parents sacrificed to make sure she received a quality education, and she now works as a programmer.
"It's not just my story. It is the Indian story," Raj said. "We believe in high-quality education." She believes school district budget cuts may be an issue during the pandemic and said preserving the budget and quality education are important.
Raj is running for a seat on the South Brunswick Board of Education this November with Raja Krishna and Mike Mitchell. They face incumbents Deven Patel, Arthur Robinson and Patrick Del Piano.
Montville resident Margaret Lam, an immigrant from Hong Kong, is hoping campaigns will address the local Asian community, acknowledging Asian Americans' vast presence in the state.
"I care about Chinese Americans who live here," Lam said.
According to the Asian American Voter Survey, those polled view immigration as extremely or very important in the election, with majorities supporting expanding access to health coverage to all people regardless of immigration status, as well as a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. On many of these issues, Asian Americans lean progressive, favoring a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, stronger environmental protections, gun control and affirmative action, according to the survey.
The survey interviews were conducted by telephone and online from July 15 to Sept. 10, with an overall margin of sampling error of 2%. Sampling was targeted to the six largest national-origin groups that together account for more than 75% of the Asian American adult citizen population: Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese.
According to the state, North Jersey's Asian populations were as follows as of 2019:
- Bergen County: 154,409.
- Morris County: 53,203.
- Passaic County: 26,257.
- Essex County: 44,008.
- Sussex County: 2,943 (as of 2018).
Nationally from 2000 to 2020, the number of Asian American eligible voters more than doubled, growing by 139%. The Hispanic electorate grew at a similar rate at 121% but the Black and white electorates grew far more slowly, at 33% and 7%, according to Pew Research Center.
Mary Chao covers the Asian community, real estate and small business for NorthJersey.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news out of North Jersey, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: mchao@gannett.com