How to talk to your AAPI community about registering to vote
This article is the first in our civic season “How to Talk to Your AAPI Community about… ” series, providing conversation strategies for encouraging your loved ones to participate in the civic engagement process this upcoming 2024 election.
Welcome to a Texas where we can all boldly belong!
If you’re on this page, chances are you already care about voting and making sure our Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in Texas is properly represented this fall. You agree that Asian Texans shouldn’t be messed with, and want to do your part in getting your loved ones out to vote.
One size does not fit all and AAPIs are diverse in ethnicity, economic status, and policy opinions. Use this article as a general guide and resource that you can adapt as you talk to your unique community members!
General Approach
Identify your audience - who are you trying to talk to about registering to vote? Remember that your approach should be tailored to who you’re addressing.
Figure out what they care about - what are the everyday issues that impact their lives and that they care about? How does that issue get impacted by public policy (aka your vote)?
Remove barriers - Think about what barriers prevent them from registering to vote. What are the barriers they face when it comes to voter registration? Is it lack of information, or time, or language access? How can you step in and assist in removing these barriers?
Make a plan - Help them make a plan to register to vote. Whether it’s visiting the voter registration form website together or even traveling to the public library to print out their forms, identifying clear steps for how to register to vote will increase their likelihood of actually registering to vote.
Do it together! - Registering to vote together helps make the process feel less intimidating and can be a great way to bond with your person! Peer accountability is a great incentive.
The Case for Voter Registration: Overall Takeaways
Numbers matter. Registering to vote is important because it increases the number of eligible AAPI voters in Texas. Texas lawmakers are more inclined to pay attention to the issues that AAPI Texans care about if a significant amount of AAPI voters are registered and voting in Texas.
Voter registration is necessary for voting. Even if they haven’t thought as far ahead about voting, it’s important that they have the option to choose to vote. October 7th is the last day for us to register to vote.
2024 is a consequential election year. What our voter turnout looks like this November dictates the leaders who will make policy decisions for us.
Texas legislators care about Texas voters. If we don’t vote, we give up our influence on Texas legislators. By registering to vote and actually voting, we will break the vicious cycle of lack of political representation
Your vote can be the deciding margin. Our votes can make a big impact on races up and down your ballot. This November, you have the ability to elect leaders that impact your everyday life (even outside of the President).
Now, without further ado, here is our guide on how to talk to your AAPI community.
How to talk to…
Your Asian parents and older generations
Context: Your Asian parents are likely to be first generation Americans who believe in making a better life in the US, but may not be active voters due to barriers such as language access and civic information access. Many of our Texan Asian elders are first generation immigrants who may have moved from countries where they could have been persecuted for their political expression. This may lead to some hesitation from our elders when it comes to being involved in the civic engagement process. They are more likely to speak another language other than English as a first language and may face difficulties with more technical English.
Potential Motivators:
Exercising their rights as American citizens (and affirming their civic duty as Americans)
Being reminded that if they pay taxes as a citizen, they’re entitled to voicing an opinion on how they are governed through their vote
The future of the next generation (their children and grandchildren).
Potential Barriers:
Language access - Being unable to access the voter registration form (and knowledge of the process) in a language that they are comfortable with is a big
Lack of Information - Not knowing where to begin the voter registration process is an intimidating barrier, especially if they don’t know how to search for this information due to a technology barrier
Transportation - Mobility challenges either due to physical barriers or resource barriers can be a source of stress for older generations. Are they able to easily access a mailing station or drive to the nearest voter registrar?
Fear of political persecution or punishment from civic expression (“keep your head down” mentality) due to past historical experiences may persist in some older generations.
Your Approach
Calm their Fear of Civic Involvement: American voters have the right to a secret ballot. Nobody can see who you vote for. Who or what you voted for is not available on public record. This information cannot be linked back to you or used against you.
Voting is your right! You pay taxes as a citizen, voting is a right that comes with that “payment.” Remind them of how much they love giving you their opinion and advice. Tell them to imagine planning a large family gathering and bringing food, only to be told that only the people who registered to vote are allowed to make a decision about how that food is shared and eaten. As American citizens and taxpayers, we have the right to have a say in how we are governed.
Investing in the futures of your children and grandchildren. Our Asian parents and grandparents moved to the US to build a better life for their families. Remind them that voting is what shapes policies that shape the lives of their children.
Your tired Asian Millennial co-workers
Context: Growing up in a timeline of major historical events can wear your soul down. From Y2K and 9/11 to a great recession and being preyed on by Sallie Mae, your tired Asian Millennial co-worker isn’t interested in voting, inspired by political campaigns, or having the time to learn about what’s on the ballot. After all, iconic political posters with catchy slogans aren’t doing the job anymore.
So how do you motivate your co-workers to vote?
Potential Motivators:
Important Issues
Asian Millennials care about various issues that impact the rest of their generation: student loan debt, healthcare access, including abortion access, and the ability to build generational wealth.
These issues they care about are influenced by voting, if they want to be able to change the circumstances around these issues, they’ll have to voice their opinions on them.
Their own children & futures
Your Asian Millennials are making decisions about family planning and/or raising their families. Voting allows them to be a part of making important decisions for their futures.
Exciting new voices in politics
Asian Millennials may be motivated by being represented by the new voices in politics who are closer to their age (and life experiences)
Potential Barriers:
It’s Boring and I’m Lazy - Your Asian Millennials may be tired of voting, especially compared to the excitement they may have experienced in the 2000’s. Unless a voter registration form is right in front of their face, they won’t exert the effort to get registered to vote.
Lack of Knowledge - Not knowing where to begin is a big point of dissuasion. How do I check if I’m registered to vote? Do I have to do it every year?
Voting Process is Confusing - There may be a misconception that registering to vote is confusing, one that can easily be cleared up through some research!
Your Approach:
Do the Work - Directly help your peer with registering to vote by sitting next to them and helping them navigate to the website where they can print and mail in their own registration form or request for a free voter registration form or bring them to a voter registrar. This might honestly be the most effective way to get your peers registered to vote.
For the Future - Remind them that they are now the decision-makers of their families. “We’re at a special point in history where our decisions/votes will dictate our futures and my family’s futures. I want to ensure that the people we elect will represent me and my family’s best interests.”
Issue Focus - Talk to them about the issues they care about and how voting affects the policies that these issues impact. “For myself, I want to be able to access healthcare whenever I can and actually be able to afford it. For my friends and family, they should also be able to access healthcare whenever they need it and not have to pay an arm and a leg for it. We need to vote for people who will ensure that healthcare is a right for everyone.”
Your jaded AAPI Gen Z peers
Context: The generational trauma of the civic engagement process has passed on to the next generation—your jaded AAPI Gen Z peers. 2020 brought pain of its own – not just with COVID-19, but also witnessing the continued rise of racially motivated violence and the necessary movements that responded to them such as Black Lives Matter and Stop AAPI Hate. And now, in 2024 – we are seeing history repeat itself as youth protest the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
It’s time for a change – and there’s only one way to do it. But when you’re tired of living through historical events, how do you find the motivation to vote?
Motivators:
Human rights - Asian Zoomers care about the plight of the world around them. This generation has been particularly active in demanding change from leadership when it comes to conflicts overseas and the safety of West Asians.
Leadership Accountability - We want our leaders to listen to us and be held accountable for standing for the values they proclaim.
Diversity & Inclusion - We want a more inclusive world that protects the rights and dignity of all people regardless of their race, class, sex, or gender.
Down Ballot Difference - Asian Zoomers who are familiar with the political process in Texas know that they can have a lot of impact on down ballot elections.
Barriers:
“My vote doesn’t matter” - Believing that my vote doesn’t matter and therefore is pointless to get involved is a big psychological dissuader.
Lack of Representation - It may feel pointless to get involved in the election process when we feel that our elected officials don’t actually represent our values.
Disillusionment with Leadership - Another dissuading factor in getting involved in the civic process is a lack of transparency and accountability from their current elected leaders.
“I don’t want to vote for ____ .” - Asian Texan Zoomers may not want to vote at all if it means having to vote for choices they do not align with.
Your Approach
Down Ballot Impact - Remind your peers that their votes have the potential to make a big impact on down ballot elections. Texas uses a popularity vote system for down ballot positions, so a margin of 600 votes can help elect specific leaders.
Electing Local Leadership - Your local electeds can represent your values if you, your friends, and your family vote. Down ballot matters just as much and will impact you more daily. Remind your peers that they have the ability to choose elected leaders that represent them that they can more easily keep accountable by voting down ballot.
Vote Down Ballot - Remind your peers that if they aren’t thrilled with their choices at the top of the ticket, they don’t need to vote for President. But there are many more leaders to be selected down ballot. Remind them that showing up and voting, even without the top of the ticket, will make a difference in documenting the amount of AAPI voters in Texas.
Okay, so now you’ve convinced them to register to vote. How do you actually do it?
HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN TEXAS
Method 1: Fill out your voter registration online, print it, and mail it to the Texas Secretary of State.
If you don’t have a printer at home, you can always visit your local public library.
Method 2: Request a voter registration form & mail it back to them (they already pay for postage!)
Method 3: Visit your local Voter Registrar or attend a Voter Registration event
What you’ll need
Your Name, Address, Birthdate
A Valid Texas ID or Social Security Number
Texas Drivers License or
Texas Personal Identification Card or
Last 4 digits of your SSN
Final Helpful Tips
Voting rights over partisan interests. Remember, you’re not convincing anyone to vote for a specific party. You’re simply making sure that they are able to exercise a right they’ve ALREADY paid for and deserve! Emphasizing that it’s about the rights they are already entitled to can help convince our Asian family members.
Make this a family activity! For many AAPI Texans, they are first generation on multiple fronts - whether it’s as Americans, college students, or voters. Registering to vote alongside family members or friends can help remove the intimidation factor and help build a healthy community activity habit instead.
Do the heavy lifting. Remove as many barriers for your person as possible. Sometimes even the smallest bit of inconvenience can dissuade people from registering to vote. This can mean printing out a mail-in voter registration form, or having the website ready, or even providing some translation for your parents or grandparents.
Thanks for working with us to build a Texas where everyone can feel bold in their belonging. Stay tuned for the next article in our series: “How to talk to your AAPI community about early voting.”
Did you find this helpful? Check out our latest report on the profiles of AAPI communities in Texas to learn more about the demographic makeup of AAPI’s in Texas.
References & Resources
Does Your Asian Mom Vote?! (skit)
Why AAPI Voters Are Important - APIAVote
How to Talk to Your Parents About Politics: Part 1 | Mass Review
About the Author
Christina is the Communications & External Affairs Manager of Asian Texans for Justice. She is a Korean American creative, community builder, and comms professional based in Dallas, Texas. As the daughter and granddaughter of immigrants, Christina has a passion for advocating for Asian American communities in politics, society, and media. You can reach her at christina@asiantexansforjustice.org.
