APIAVote ensures high AAPI voters turnout in U.S. election

Washington: Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) participated Tuesday in an election that will go down in history with high turnout rates - especially among minorities, new voters, and young voters. APIAVote partners and coalitions in 14 states turned out thousands of voters yesterday in the efforts to increase civic participation in the fastest growing minority community in the nation.

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"Work of APIAVote's partners and coalitions in 14 states helped a lot in determining the final electoral count in the presidential race," said APIAVote Executive Director Vida Benavides. "In states like Ohio, Minnesota, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Nevada, APIAVote partners worked strategically to register new voters and engage infrequent voters to turn them out on Election Day."

"APIAVote's work on the ground in states like Nevada has significantly boosted AAPI participation. We were in Nevada since the January caucuses, and increased the AAPI turnout rate past their share of the Clark County population. We worked to sustain the excitement, registering new citizens, encouraging early voting, phoning infrequent AAPI voters, and canvassing Las Vegas neighborhoods with high AAPI populations," said APIAVote board member Gloria T. Caoile. "While we are waiting for the final numbers to prove this, One APIAVote Nevada is a prime example of increased AAPI voter turnout this election year," said Caoile.

"Voting is only the beginning of civic engagement; we as a community now face the tasks ahead of working with a new Administration and Congress, and ensuring that AAPI concerns and policy issues are included in the agenda moving forward," said APIAVote board co-chair Eunsook Lee.

National polling shows that among AAPIs, 62 percent voted for President-elect Barack Obama, and 35 percent voted for Senator John McCain. APIAVote awaits further details about the AAPI vote, and will provide updates as they are made available.

Asian Pacific Islander American 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.