How to talk to your AAPI community about early voting

This article is the second 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. 

It’s October, meaning that early voting is just around the corner.

Early voting in Texas begins on Oct 21st and ends on November 1st.

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. 

What is early voting and why does it matter?

Did you know that Texas was the first state to offer early voting in the 1980’s? In Texas we offer “early voting,” meaning that for two weeks prior to Election Day, any Texan registered to vote is able to cast their ballot at their own convenience at an early polling location near them. 

Early voting is a great way to get your loved ones in the AAPI community to vote in a low pressure, convenient way. Voting early means you get to choose which day and time works best for you, all while experiencing shorter lines and an overall faster experience. Early voting is also helpful for fellow voters because it reduces wait times for voters on Election Day, distributes work burdens for polling staff, and allows for more voters to be able to vote due to flexible times outside of common working hours of 9 AM-5 PM during the work week. 

Note: 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!

With all that being said, let’s get your AAPI community to vote early!

General Approach 

1. Identify your audience - Who are you trying to get to vote early?

2. Figure out & remove barriers - What are the barriers they face when it comes to early voting (information, language access, time)? How can you step in and help remove these barriers? 

3. Make a plan - Help them make a plan to early vote. Whether it’s visiting their county’s election department website together or finding their early voting polling location, making a plan with them will increase their likelihood of early voting. 

4. Do it together! - Going to early 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 Early Voting: Overall Takeaways 

• Early voting is convenient. Instead of having to make the narrow window of Election Day, voting early allows you to choose any day from October 21st to November 1st (including the weekends) to cast your vote. You can choose a day and time that works for you and your family!

• Early voting is safe & relaxed. If you vote early at an early voting polling location, chances are you’ll be avoiding big crowds and long lines on Election Day. You and your loved ones will be able to ask for help more easily, especially if they require special assistance or accommodation.

• You can take time to prepare your ballot. Because you’re planning on voting in advance, that means you can take some time to learn about who and what is on your ballot, and research who you’ll be voting for. You can even print your notes and bring them with you to the polls. Check out our ATJ Ballot Builder Tool and our guide on how to use it.

• Your vote is your power. Last but not least, your vote matters. In Texas, local races are determined by popular vote – this has led to people being elected by less than a hundred votes in some races. You and your vote can actually make a difference in determining who impacts your local, daily life. This election, we know that a lot is on the line and that some members of our AAPI community are not able to vote. You are not only voting for yourself, but for your community. Our vote is our power.

Now, without further ado, here is our guide on how to talk to your AAPI community. For more in-depth descriptions of the context, motivators, and barriers of each generational group, check out our earlier blog on talking to your AAPI community about registering to vote. 

How to talk to… 

Your Asian parents and older generations 

Context: Your Asian parents and AAPI elders in Texas are likely to be first-time voters or may not have a habit of voting in the US. They could be intimidated by lack of language access, information access, or transportation to polling locations, to name a few barriers. However, if their children or family members accompany them to the polls and express how the votes of their elders will impact the future of their children, they may be motivated to vote!

• Your Approach 

• Information & language access - Introduce your loved ones to the ATJ ballot builder, and walk them through their potential choices. Help them print out their preparation ballot so they can be prepared to vote early with you!

• Family or community activity -Take your loved ones to go vote with you. By carpooling or removing the burden of coordinating transportation with them, you’ll make voting easier for your elders. You can even offer to take an entire car full of Asian aunties or uncles before or after big community events such as church, temple, or community markets. Find early voting locations here.

Your tired Asian Millennial co-workers 

Context: Between having to think about the wellbeing of their elders and the futures of their children, this generation faces many challenges in their daily lives. More likely to be working professionals, they are also pressed for time and will likely benefit from the flexibility of time option that early voting provides.

• Your Approach: 

• Easy research option - Remove some of the mental burden of having to research their ballot by sharing the ATJ ballot builder with them. With our tool, they can not only see what’s on their ballot ahead of time, but have an easy research tool for their candidates.

• Errands-run hangout! - If there’s anything that unites the AAPI Texan community, it’s our love for multiple stops and running errands as a form of hanging out. Incorporating early voting into your errands-run hangout can make voting feel more like an easy checklist item rather than a big deal to dread.

• Plan lunch breaks - If the weekends don’t work, your Millennial and Gen X co-workers can also utilize their lunch breaks and vote in a fast and convenient way by finding an early voting location near their place of work.

Your jaded AAPI Gen Z peers 

Context: When the whole world seems to be on fire, it may feel challenging to focus on domestic elections. With so many different sources of information, finding the most straightforward and accurate information when it comes to voting may be overwhelming. Not to mention that transportation may not be as readily available for people who are college aged or live away from their primary residence. However, making early voting a social activity where they can carpool may be a motivating factor for your Gen Z peers!

• Your Approach 

• Trustworthy research option - Similar to their Millennial predecessors, Gen Z-ers will appreciate any removal of mental burden when it comes to learning about candidates. Direct them to the ATJ ballot builder!

• A little treat - Sometimes, we need a little treat to motivate us to do important things – including early voting. Try building a treat into your hangout with friends as a reward for voting! Find an early voting location closest to your favorite matcha or chai spot here.

• Channel the codependent friend group vibes - It doesn’t really matter what we’re doing as long as we’re doing it together. Plan for early voting to be one of the activities that your codependent friend group can do together. Make it your first stop of the day before going thrifting & then to your ethnic supermarket for lunch.

Okay, so now you’ve convinced them to vote early. How do you actually do it? 

HOW TO EARLY VOTE IN TEXAS

• Method 1 - In Person

• Find an early voting polling location near you

  • You can either look up a polling location using your county’s Election Department website (ex. Google “Dallas County elections department”) OR you can find the list of early voting election clerks here

• Check what’s on your ballot

  • Use our ATJ Ballot Builder tool to research what’s on your ballot in English, Chinese, or Vietnamese! 

  • You can prepare ahead of time to know who you’ll be voting for, making the actual voting process faster. 

  • Print out your personalized ATJ Ballot and bring it with you to the polls!

• What you’ll need

  • A Valid Texas ID or Social Security Number:

  • Texas Drivers License or 

  • Texas Personal Identification Card or 

  • Last 4 digits of your SSN

  • Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS

  • Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS

  • Texas Handgun License issued by DPS

  • United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph

  • US Passport Book or Card 

  • If you do not have your Texas ID with you, you can still vote! Check out the alternate forms of information you can use here. 

• Go vote!

  • Now that you’ve coordinated a time and place to vote early, take your loved ones, and get to voting! 

  • Accessibility note: All Texas polling locations are required to be accessible.  Be sure to call your polling location ahead of time if you need accommodations. Check out all the accessibility measures that you are entitled to! If you or your loved ones require assistance with voting, you can:

  • request translation assistance

  • mobility assistance

  • curbside voting (where you can vote from your car)

• Method 2 - Mail-in Ballot

  • Do you qualify for a mail-in ballot?

  • be 65 years or older;

  • be sick or disabled;

  • be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or

  • be expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day; or

  • be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.

  • Request a mail-in ballot 

  • If you ordered the application online and it was mailed to you - fold the application in half, moisten top tab, seal and add postage.

  • Expect for your mail-in ballot to get delivered to you around a week or so after you’ve requested it. 

  • Check what’s on your ballot (while you wait for your ballot in the mail) 

  • Use our ATJ Ballot Builder tool to access research what’s on your ballot in English, Chinese, or Vietnamese! 

  • You can prepare ahead of time to know who you’ll be voting for, making the filling in process easier. 

  • Fill out your ballot

  • If you’ve requested a mail-in ballot, you should receive this in your mailbox a week or so after you’ve requested it. If you did not receive your mail-in ballot, contact your local election department. 

  • Once you receive your official ballot in the mail, take your time and fill out your ballot. Make sure you are marking your choices clearly with a marker or pen that cannot be erased. 

  • Mail it in to your early voting election clerk 

  • You can find the list of early voting election clerks here 

  • If you received a mail-in ballot from your election department in the mail, you do not have to worry about postage. 

  • If you printed out your official Texas ballot, you’ll have to place it in your own envelope and add postage.

Final Helpful Tips 

• Print out your ballot or write down your choices and bring it with you! Though phones aren’t allowed at polling locations, you ARE allowed to bring paper that you’ve written notes on! 

• Dress for success - Wear whatever is most comfortable for you, but be careful not to wear any clothing that endorses any political candidate. Electioneering, which means to advocate “for or against any political candidate, measure or political party” was outlawed by the Supreme Court in 1992. You can always cover up your outfit, turn your t-shirt inside out, or leave accessories in the car.

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 voting on election day.”

This civic season, we want to equip you with the tools to civically engage with your family, friends, and community. Stay up to date with us as we publish the rest of our series below: 

• Introducing Civic Season: The Case for AAPI Voters in Texas

• How to talk to your AAPI community about registering to vote 

• How to talk to your AAPI community about early voting

• How to build your ballot using ATJ’s Ballot Builder 

• How to talk to your AAPI community about voting 

  
  You can subscribe to our email for our Civic Season email series, where you’ll receive ONE email per month until November containing important election info, helpful guides, and events/involvement opportunities from Asian Texans for Justice. Subscribe here.

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

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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. Christina has a passion for advocating for Asian American communities in politics, society, and media. You can reach her at christina@asiantexansforjustice.org.

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