Study analyzes AAPI voter turnout in ‘20 presidential battlegrounds

Voters cast ballots in Los Angeles County in California on November 6, 2012.Frederic J. Brown / AFP

WASHINGTON, DC —  AAPI Victory Fund released the first set of statistics from its study analyzing Asian American Pacific Islander voter turnout in 2020 presidential battlegrounds.

The full study, which compares Asian voter turnout to 2016, is set to officially launch on Thursday, April 22.

This data shows the increased influence in the AAPI electorate and the story of growing AAPI electoral power.

Highlights from the full data collection include: 

• The 2020 presidential election saw an unprecedented level of Asian American voters from battleground states such as Texas and Georgia.
• Nationally, the total number of ballots cast by AAPI voters increased by a staggering 47% in 2020 compared to 2016. For context, the total turnout for all other voters increased by only 12%.
• In Texas, there are 527,157 identified AAPI registered voters, 374,807 of those voters voted in the 2020 general election which equals out to 71.10% of the AAPI population.
• Of that group in Texas in 2020, 131,017 (34%) voted only in 2020 — out of the last 4 general elections. And 187,806 (50%) did not vote in the 2016 general election.
• That’s a 100% increase in AAPI turnout from 2016 in Texas, the most of any ethnic group in the state.

“This week, the AAPI Victory Fund will unveil the data from AAPI voters in the 2020 election. What you’ll see is a growing presence and power of AAPI voters and the simple fact that AAPI voters are the secret weapon for progressives and here to stay,” states AAPI Victory Fund Executive Director Varun Nikore.

“AAPI’s saw a 47% increase in turnout from 2016 to 2020 and are the singular reason why Joe Biden is President. It’s time that AAPI’s get our due and are recognized as an integral piece of the Democratic coalition.

“In battleground states such as Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, the story remains the same. Without AAPI voters, we would still be looking at another four years of Donald Trump and no Democratic senate. We will have a full data analysis and deck on Thursday.”