On November 7, 2006, South Asian voters joined millions of Americans to cast votes that determined the outcomes of races at the local, gubernatorial and congressional level. Preliminary information we have gathered from an Asian American exit poll and volunteers who monitored the polls indicate that South Asians were part of the electorate that called for change in America. South Asians also participated in the elections by running for office, and prevailing in many local, state-level, and federal races.

Participation in the Mid-Term Elections

SAALT participated in a coalition of organizations that assisted with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund's (AALDEF) Election Protection project. Through the project, over 600 volunteers, including members of SAALT, surveyed Asian American voters in Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Massachussetts, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, and ensured that they were not facing problems at polling sites.

"SAALT members and volunteers participated in the election survey/monitoring project by working two-hour shifts on Election Day," noted Arefa Vohra, SAALT's Advocate for Community Empowerment. "Engaging in poll monitoring and voter surveying was an empowering experience for many volunteers."

“It was great to see the amount of voter turnout amongst the Asian American community,” said SAALT volunteer, Ankim Shah, who was an election volunteer at James Madison Elementary School in Edison, New Jersey. “It was even more amazing to see how many Asian American voters felt strongly about influencing and changing the American political process.”

“I volunteered because it is my civic duty as an American and also because South Asians are a vital part of the American landscape. We need to be visible in such crucial moments in our nation's history,” said Shama Farooq, SAALT member who polled in Arlington, Virginia.

Voting Patterns

Indeed, this election offered the opportunity for many voters to signify their opinions on issues of concern on the national level.

Preliminary information from the AALDEF poll results shows that Asian voter turnout was high, and that Asians favored Democratic candidates. According to AALDEF, 79% of those polled favored Democratic candidates. In the senatorial race in Virginia, where Republican candidate, George Allen, had been roundly criticized for comments to a South Asian student, the AALDEF exit poll of more than 250 Asian American voters found that 76% voted for Jim Webb, 21% voted for Sen. Allen, and 3% voted for Glenda Parker.

In addition, the AALDEF exit poll found that three in four Asian American voters in Michigan voted against Proposal 2 - which seeks to end race- and gender-based affirmative action programs in education, hiring, contracting, and health initiatives. Proposal 2 passed however by a margin of 58% to 42%.

SAALT will provide more information and analysis about South Asian voter turnout and voting trends, as they are released by AALDEF. Read our 2004 analysis here.

Obstacles at the Polls

Historically, communities of color and recently naturalized citizens have confronted obstacles at the polls, including voter intimidation. Volunteers who participated in election monitoring efforts documented reports that polling places were understaffed, poll workers were hostile to Asian American voters and improperly asked for IDs, and translated voter assistance materials were not readily available to Asian-language voters.

Some South Asian voters also faced obstacles at the polls. "South Asian American voters turned out in strong numbers this year, helping to decide key elections in Congressional and gubernatorial races," said AALDEF executive director Margaret Fung. "However, many South Asian voters told AALDEF election monitors that they needed language assistance, including interpreters at polling places. Others complained about improper demands for voter identification, even though they had voted several times before."

Specific examples of problems that South Asians encountered at the polls include:


• At P.S. 69 in Jackson Heights , Queens, a Bengali voter who had re-registered in the district in 2000 was told that her name was not on the voter rolls and was turned away.

• At P.S. 12 in Woodside, Queens, four Asian American voters were asked to show identification even though they were not first-time voters. Two South Asian women voters were turned away from the polls and not offered affidavit (provisional) ballots.

Running for Office

South Asians also participated in the mid-term elections by running for office at local, gubernatorial and federal levels. Over a dozen individuals of South Asian descent ran for office around the country this year. Some of those who succeeded include Saqib Ali (Maryland House of Delegates); Jay Goyal (Ohio State Representative); Bobby Jindal (congressional representative for Louisiana); Raj Goyle (Kansas State Representative); and Swathi Melapathy (Iowa State Representative).

"Many South Asian candidates prevailed in this year's elections, despite the xenophobic rhetoric that SAALT has been observing over the past five years in the political context. This shows that voters will not tolerate insensitivity and bias in political life," said Jayesh Rathod, Chair of SAALT's Board of Directors. SAALT's archive of documented incidents of xenophobia in political life can be found here.

Issues Ahead

"We are hopeful that the new Congress will be open to addressing many of the issues that SAALT and other immigrant rights organizations have been advocating for - from immigration reform to anti-racial and religious profiling initiatives to protections for low-wage workers, and the undocumented," said Deepa Iyer, Executive Director of SAALT.

Community-based organizations working with SAALT echoed similar sentiments. "With the political changes in place after the mid-term elections, we are hopeful that the Senate and House of Representatives will be able to work together towards bringing about comprehensive immigration reform that will ensure the civil, economic and political rights of both documented and undocumented immigrants," said Meghna Goswani and Maliha Imami-Alam of Daya, Inc, a non-profit organization based in Houston.

"South Asians can make a difference in ensuring that these issues and others are being discussed on the local and national level," added Atashi Chakravarthy, Executive Director of Narika, a non-profit organization based in the Bay Area.