This report study offers insight into what Asian American experiences are like when they cast a ballot in Los Angeles and the extent to which they find services to ease voting useful. 

The Asian American Voter Experience Survey was produced through the partnership of CAUSE, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Asian American Studies Center and Loyola Mount University (LMU).

Executive Summary

This study offers insight into what Asian American experiences are like when they cast a ballot in Los Angeles and the extent to which they find services to ease voting useful. We find that while Asian American respondents commend the government for trying to make it easy to vote, many report that it is still difficult to vote. In particular, we find that bilingual materials are not seen to make voting easier for Asian Americans. This study offers some evidence to suggest that language accessibility can be improved.

Description of study: Our research team collected 1,062 in-person surveys with Asian American adults attending community events held at various locations across Los Angeles County (San Gabriel Valley, Koreatown, Culver City and East Hollywood) between January 2024 and March 2024. Surveys were available in English, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Vietnamese, Thai and Spanish.

REPORT AUTHORS

• Professor Natalie Masuoka, Departments of Political Science and Asian American Studies, UCLA

• Professor Nathan Chan, Department of Political Science, Loyola Marymount University

• Nancy Yap, Executive Director, CAUSE

REPORT LAUNCH PRESENTATION

Recorded on Friday, August 9, 2024 at the Pre-Event for CAUSE’s Summer Soirée.

ABOUT THE REPORT

Since January 2024, CAUSE has collaborated with Professor Dr. Natalie Masuoka (UCLA Asian American Studies Center) and Professor Dr. Nathan Chan (LMU Department of Political Science) to produce, conduct, and analyze a survey on Asian American voting experiences in Los Angeles County. The partnership was the foundation of the 2024 CAUSE on Campus (CoC) student program. Through this partnership and the CAUSE on Campus program, student interns gained direct experience carrying out the study’s research and data collection. As a mixed group of undergraduate students from UCLA and LMU, the CoC cohort researched, conducted, and analyzed a survey exploring the voter experiences of community members in these neighborhoods. 

The team reached large numbers of low propensity voters in high API populated neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, collecting over 1,000 in-person surveys through attending community events held at various locations across Los Angeles County. The survey was available in English, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Vietnamese, Thai, and Spanish, reflecting the common languages spoken in the areas the team visited.

This Report Was Made Possible With the Support Of