Naomi T. Tacuyan / naomi@apiavote.org / 202.223.9170
WASHINGTON, DC-- Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) partners & affiliates today announce Saturday, October 4, 2008, as its National Day of Action for Voter Registration, as well as a conference call this coming Thursday, October 2, 2008 to brief all interested parties about the importance of the AAPI vote this election, and how grassroots organizations are mobilizing AAPI voters to register and head to the polls on Election Day.
This Saturday, October 4, the last Saturday before the October 6 registration deadline in Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan (and the last day that Nevada voters are allowed to register without being present at the office of the Registrar), APIAVote community organizations are working around the clock to register almost 7 million eligible Asian American Pacific Islander voters.
"For these five states, we really are down to the wire. Data shows that AAPI voters are still largely undecided about their presidential pick, making APIAVote's nonpartisan efforts all the more crucial in increasing electoral participation this cycle," said Vida Benavides, APIAVote Executive Director. "AAPIs are uniquely affected by many of the overarching issues the nation faces today-- including the economic crisis, access to affordable health care, affordability of higher education, and the foreclosure crisis. The AAPI population is projected to increase to 8% of the U.S. population by 2030-- for our voices to be heard and for us to be included in policymaking, we must be at the voting booth," said Benavides.
"APIAVote partners want to ensure that all eligible AAPI voters are aware of their registration deadlines, so this Day of Action for Voter Registration will consist of nationwide registration efforts through phonebanking and targeted canvassing, and at ethnic grocery stores, cultural festivals, naturalization ceremonies, and houses of worship," said Kathleen Topacio Flores, APIAVote National Campaign Director. "We of course will continue to reach out to voters after registration deadlines to get them to the polls, but our priority this weekend is registering AAPI voters," said Topacio Flores.
"The AAPI community has been called the 'new sleeping giant' of
Teleconference Briefing on the Potential Impact of the AAPI Vote &
APIAVote Registration Efforts for Day of Action for Voter Registration
What: 1. A briefing on the potential impact of the growing AAPI vote in traditional AAPI states as well as contested states;
2. Reports from APIAVote National & APIAVote partners & affiliates about ongoing registration efforts in 14 states and planned Day of Action activities for October 4.
(** a calendar of activities per state can be found at www.apiavote.org/dayofaction)
When: Thursday, October 2, 2008, 3:00 PM EST / 12:00 PM PST
Call-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Please RSVP to naomi@apiavote.org to obtain the access code.
Who: Vida Benavides, APIAVote Executive Director
Kathleen Topacio Flores, APIAVote National Campaign Director
Rozita Lee/Gloria Caoile, One APIAVote
HyunJoo Lee, National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
William Xu, APIAVote-NAPA 5% Youth Vote Project (invited)
(**an updated list of speakers will be emailed the morning of the conference call)
Media Contact & RSVP: Naomi Tacuyan, Deputy Director, naomi@apiavote.org, 202.223.9170
APIAVote National Partners: Asian American Leggal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Asian Pacific American Labor
*The South Asian American Leading Together (SAALT) "Be the Change" National Day of Service, which includes voter mobilization activities, is also on October 4. For more
###
Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is a national non-partisan, nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes civic participation of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the electoral and public policy processes at the national, state and local levels. For more
