Ahead of the upcoming on November 5 election, the Asian American Initiative (AAI) – a partnership of the largest Asian American community serving organizations in Orange County –announces updates on their collaborative efforts to reach the county’s Asian American population and get them out to the polls.
AAI reached an estimated 380,042 Asian American voters through GOTV efforts throughout Orange County – a significant statistic considering Orange County has the third largest Asian American population for a county in the U.S. and home to the largest Vietnamese American and second largest Korean American populations in the nation.
While early efforts focused on voter registration, the campaign now shifts to education around early voting leading up to election day.
The Asian American Initiative coalition members include Korean Community Services (KCS) and Southland Integrated Services, both federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) focused on registering Korean and Vietnamese voters, respectively, through trusted healthcare providers.
Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), focused on increasing AAPI young adult voter turnout; and South Coast Chinese Cultural Center (SCCCC), focused on education and increasing civic participation of Chinese communities in OC.
AAI also collaborated with Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), and the Center for Asian Americans in Action (Center for A3), both focused on protecting and monitoring Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voter rights.
According to census data, the Asian American population grew by 31% between 2010 and 2020, making it the fastest growing racial demographic in the county. In California alone, Asians make up 43% of immigrant eligible voters in the state, the highest of any racial or ethnic group.
According to Pew Research Center, California has more immigrant eligible voters (5.5 million) than any other state, more than New York (2.5 million) and Florida (2.5 million) combined.
“As Asian American community-based leaders, we recognize that civic engagement and voter education are essential for empowering our communities. Participating in the democratic process ensures that our voices are heard and our needs are addressed. By fostering a culture of voting and civic involvement, we can advocate for policies that reflect our shared values and protect our communities’ well-being,” Ellen Ahn, Chief Executive Officer, Korean Community Services.
Asian American Initiative leaders identified the need for integrated voter engagement efforts throughout healthcare and social service systems alongside traditional voter canvassing and outreach methods, in order to increase civic participation for the community.
For many Asian American communities who lack historic trust in government due to limited language access, service providers, doctors, and educators are seen as the most trusted messengers. By using a model that combines the efforts of trusted sources, AAI’s comprehensive and partner-based approach allows for community power-building and protection through the entire civic process, from registration, education, to finally, voting.
Following are the latest highlights from the coalition members on voter outreach efforts :
OCAPICA has continued to make efforts to increase AAPI youth voter participation, including :
● Voter registration and pledge-to-vote drives at cultural events, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and high school campuses, resulting in hundreds of new registrations.
● Phone Banking efforts, with a dedicated team of over 30 callers who have contacted more than 14,000 individuals to provide information on local propositions and encourage voter turnout.
●Collaborative youth-led activism projects aimed at addressing barriers to voter registrations among their peers.
● “Your Voice, Your Vote, Your Future” messaging, which emphasizes the importance of civic engagement among AAPI youth.
KCS is committed to expanding civic engagement within the Korean American community, utilizing culturally tailored outreach strategies. Since the beginning of the year, KCS has supported over 550 individuals in checking their voter registration status and registering to vote. Key efforts include :
● Educational events, such as seminars on voting rights and health fairs, to promote voter registration and provide information on upcoming elections.
● Media outreach through Korean-language radio shows and newspaper advertisements.
● Distribution of voter education materials at community programs and events, including the Korean Senior Center and local Asian cultural festivals.
● Ongoing outreach leading up to the election, with plans for additional seminars as well as a voter education luncheon for Korean seniors, and a nonpartisan voter education event designed to clarify the ballot and assist the community to make informed decisions.
Southland Integrated Services incorporated civic engagement into its healthcare outreach, effectively reaching underserved communities. Since August, Southland has assisted over 250 individuals in registering or preparing to vote. Activities include :
● Distributing Vot-ER badges to over 60 staff members and encouraging voter registration discussions during every patient interaction.
● Hosting community events such as the Southland Health Fair, where they registered 215 new voters and educated participants on the importance of voting.
● Conducting staff workshops like “Boba & Ballots” and “Pie, Propositions, & Politics” to raise awareness of the California propositions to equip staff with the knowledge to confidently guide their patients through the voting process.
● Providing multilingual voter education materials at outreach events to ensure accessibility for non-English speaking attendees.
South Coast Chinese Cultural Center aims to increase voter education and registration in OC’s Chinese community.Their efforts target the limited English-proficient and increasing new immigrant populations, especially in Irvine, CA – where 44% of residents are Chinese per the 2020 Census – and include :
● Hosting "MEET THE IRVINE CANDIDATES FORUM", a nonpartisan forum for Irvine residents to hear from and engage with local and district candidates. Nineteen candidates presented to the audience of 300 community members and the recording was shared with the general public.
● Cultural Express and Social media efforts educating Asian community members about the importance of voting.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California ：
A community partner to AAI, AJSOCAL is focused on voter protection to ensure that AAPIs can fully participate in the electoral process. AJSOCAL is administering poll monitoring and exit interviews,boosting access to multilingual advocates, and conducting an educational campaign to ensure that AAPIs are aware of their voting rights, such as voting materials and centers being required by law to provide select translations. Activities include:
● Deployment of over 100 multilingual poll monitors across nearly 100 voting centers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties to watch for potential AAPI voter suppression activities.
● For AAPI voters who need help in-language, a dedicated text line (213-241-0250) and email address (voter@ajsocal.org).
● A free online Voting Rights Tools and Resource Hub available in English and seven other Asian languages. Additionally, downloadable flyers, a 30-second video, and digital toolkit are all available for widespread community access and use.
● A widespread Asian-language media and grassroots campaign that has thus far resulted in a reach of 774,000 impressions.
● Know Your Rights (KYR) presentations to supplement crucial voter registration work by other community-based organizations.
ABOUT ASIAN AMERICAN INITIATIVE ：
The Asian American Initiative (AAI) was established in early 2024 as a coalition of leading Asian community organizations in Orange County dedicated to increasing civic engagement and voter participation among the county’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population.
AAI aims to advocate and mobilize the fastest-growing demographic in the county through outreach, education, and advocacy.This coalition consists of prominent Asian-facing organizations including the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Southland Integrated Services, Korean Community Services, and the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center.
Together, AAI intends to ensure that the voices of Asian American voters are heard and that their rights are protected.
2024年初成立的 Asian American Initiative (AAI)，是由南海岸中華文化中心(South Coast Chinese Cultural Center)、 Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA)、 Korean Community Services 和 Southland Integrated Services 等四大橙縣非營利組織聯手合作，共同致力提升橙縣亞裔公民參與和
Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance 透過電話連絡、在校園舉辦宣誓投票等方式，