Results from the 2020 Asian American Voter Survey

In case you missed it, yesterday APIAVote, AAPI Data, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC held a briefing and presented the results of the 2020 Asian American Voter Survey. The survey looked at voter response on issues from the upcoming election and discrimination in America to healthcare concerns around COVID-19 and support for affirmative action.

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial group in the country, and voters had record turnout numbers in the 2018 midterm elections. Based on our survey, we've seen this enthusiasm carry over as we approach the November 2020 Presidential elections.  

Key Takeaways from the Survey included: 

• Over half (54%) of Asian American voters are more enthusiastic about the upcoming elections than previous elections.

• A majority (54%) report that they plan to vote by mail. 

• About half of Asian American voters report little to no contact from either political party. This is in line with our previous surveys that show a need for further outreach from both political parties. 

• 14% of voters identified as undecided and 34% as non-partisan. This shows that political parties have yet to harness the power of the Asian American vote despite the fact that many remain persuadable. 

• Top concerns of the electorate are Jobs & the Economy, Health care, Education, Racial discrimination and Gun control and the majority of those surveyed leaned progressive on these issues. 

• A majority of Asian Americans (54%) surveyed planned to vote for Biden compared to just 30% who planned to support Republican incumbent Donald Trump. 

Several critical states like Arizona, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina have notable Asian Americans populations. We've proven that our communities make a difference in elections, and Asian American voters are likely to be influential in congressional races in Southern California, Texas, and New Jersey, as well as in other states. 

In a day, we've already had significant media coverage using our survey data: 

• Asian-American voters prefer Biden to Trump, a new poll found. // New York Times

• Biden holds big lead over Trump with Asian American voters, survey says // Los Angeles Times

• Trump spent years trying to win over Indian Americans. Then Biden picked Harris. // POLITICO

• Asian American Voters Back Biden by Large Margin // Bloomberg (Election 2020)

• Asian Americans prefer Biden but many remain undecided: poll // The Hill

• Poll: Biden leads Trump among Asian Americans, many still undecided // Axios

As eyes turn towards the immigrant vote, it's important to realize that Asian Americans are the only racial group that is majority immigrant. This means that bilingual voting materials and outreach are incredibly important within Asian American communities. With a critical election ahead, it is imperative that there is a continued understanding of this key electorate. 

To watch a recording of the briefing, click here.

To see the executive summary, crosstabs of the data, and the slide deck with infographics click here. 

To see the press release, click here.

Thank you to the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) for hosting the event. You can learn more about the coalition and the policy platform by clicking here.