For the past seventy years, Asian American voting rights have expanded, from nonexistent and unjust to varied across the left and right spectrum. It was not until 1965 that Asian Americans were granted rights to immigration and citizenship to the United States. When Asian Americans began to participate in elections, they initially leaned towards the Republican side, seeing the value in more traditional policies. However, by the time a new generation had risen, values had changed and a new era had come. 

While a large number of Asian Americans identify as nonpartisan, present-day trends are shifting the Asian-American population towards the democratic party. The increasing trends in Asian American affiliation with the democratic party could likely be a result of the younger, second-generation experiencing a more liberal and non-traditional living environment.

Regardless of political affiliation, voter turnout in the 2020 election compared to the 2016 election increased to 60% – a historic high compared to the previous 49% in 2016. This could be due to the community’s large-scale response to a spike in Asian hate crimes within the U.S., as well as increased efforts in targeted campaigning by politicians. Gaining the Asian American vote has become a point of interest for politicians such as GOP member and former governor of South Carolina, Nikki Hayley. In an interview done by AANN’s Chloe Chan with Mrs. Hayley, when asked about what words she had to say to undecided Asian Americans she stated, “[…]if we don’t go to [Asian Americans], in their rooms, in their circles, in their places, we can’t expect them to come to us.”

Indeed, as Asian Americans continue to suffer from discrimination and unjust policies, political participation in the Asian American community becomes increasingly important. Hate crimes, for example, have been increasingly affecting Asian Americans, increasing 339% nationwide last year. Whether that is through physical abuse or societal discrimination, more and more Asian Americans have become the victims of such crimes. Moreover, policies such as affirmative action especially hinder students of Asian heritage as highly selective colleges have allegedly placed quotas on the number of Asian students they admit. Thus, it is important to increase Asian American representation in the political sphere as these representatives will serve as a gateway for Asian American advocacy. Such awareness will help fight these discriminatory policies and hate crimes. 

Ultimately, as the Asian American population continues to grow, political engagement is ever more important. The emerging voting base must proactively research to make informed ballot decisions, using our power to vote to create a better future for us and the next generation.