JANUARY 13, 2008                                                        CONTACT: Alice Siu / 650.799.6899
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    

Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) Attend, Run, and React to Caucuses, Still More Outreach To AAPIs Needed


LAS VEGAS, NV – A groundswell of support from volunteers, who had flown in from across the country, came to assist and strengthen local efforts to increase voter participation in today’s caucus. As a result, an unprecedented number of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) turned out to the Nevada caucuses.  

Asian American and Pacific Islander volunteers from across the country – from California to New York – came to phone bank, door hang, canvas, observe caucuses. Some even had the tremendous opportunity to become a temporary caucus chair. “I was a part of history,” said Alice Siu, a graduate student from California. “Even though there was some confusion, all caucus attendees were excited and thrilled to be a part of the democratic process.”

In post-caucus interviews with AAPI caucus goers, we learned that Rozita Lee was selected as a delegate and Katrina Koh was selected as an alternate to represent their caucus at the County Central Committee in February 2008.  Lee and Koh attended the caucus at the LGBTQ Center.

However, during our post caucus interviews, many AAPIs caucus participants expressed confusion and frustration for Nevada’s caucus process.  “I was disappointed with the lack of outreach to the Asian community and how the Democratic party ran the caucus,” said Johnny Jackson, a Caucus participant at Bally Middle School. “The State Party will need to improve this process if they want continue caucuses in Nevada,” said Rozita Lee. “The majority of attendees in my caucuses wanted to go back to the primaries.”

Even though an extraordinary number of AAPIs turned out to attend and run caucuses, more effort is needed to educate AAPIs. Both State Parties, candidates, parties and non-partisan organizations need to reach out to AAPIs and educate them about the voting processes and outlets to participate politically.

Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is a national non-partisan, nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes civic participation of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the electoral and public policy processes at the national, state and local levels. For more information, please visit http://www.apiavote.org.