The Summer Scholars of the Washington Leadership Program have put together a Voter Guide for South Asian Americans

1. Washington
Leadership Program
2012 Scholars, July 2012
The Washington Leadership
Program Scholars, Summer 2012
The South Asian
American Vote 2012
Photo source: http://www.thewlp.com
Photo source: http://www.saapri.org

2. 2
Governor Mitt Romney campaigns
during the South Carolina primaries
“the South Asian
community has grown by
78% in the last
decade [in America.]1”
we are a community of over
3.4 million people and growing.
growing numbers means growing
power for our demographic in this country.
there is no time more crucial to take
responsibility and express what is
important to us than this 2012 presidential
election cycle.
Photo source: University of North Carolina, Associated Press Database
1. “A Demographic Snapshot of South Asians in the United States, 2012” http://www.saalt.org/pages/Reports%7B47%7DPublications.htm-
l#census2010?utm_source=Census+Factsheet&utm_campaign=Census+2010&utm_medium=email

3. the big barrier
although the number of South Asian
Americans who can vote increased over two-
fold in the past decade2, only 30% of the com-
munity voted in the last presidential elec-
tions.3
this is the year to be a changemaker.
Bobby Jindal, the first Indian-American to be
elected as Governor, with his family
Photo source: http://www.mpidirect.com
2. http://www.saalt.org/attachments/1/SAALT%20AAF%20National%20Fact
3. Indian American Center for Political Awareness, “Indian American Political Participation”sheet.pdf

4. why should I vote?
today the average undergraduate student finishes
school with over $16,000 in debt. in addition, the
unemployment rate for 16-24 olds is at its absolute
highest level in the past 6 years. student votes can
make a difference in relevant future policy
President Obama reaches out to the South
Asian American youth community
Photo source: Asian American Pacific Islanders for Obama Database

5. south asian americans make up a large
subset of American small business
owners, yet do not express their political
voice to affect commerce policy
current immigration laws pull apart
families, and children who are U.S.
citizens suffer immigration raids in
their homes. ‘these children often
experience what no U.S. citizen
should. they live in constant fear of
abandonment because they have seen and
heard of neighbors and family members being
picked up and deported.4’”
Photo source: http://www.thedebtofnations.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/article-21.jpg
Photo source: http://www.fairimmigration.org/tag/south-asian-americans-leading-together/
4. http://www.fairimmigration.org/tag/south-asian-americans-leading-together/

6. now what?
college campuses are full of students with
passion, skills, and a desire to make change
in the world. advocacy is all about harnessing
that energy towards the cause most important
to YOU, and really getting everyone to
contribute their talents to a bigger effort.
here are some tips to help POINT your campus
campaign in the right direction and get South
Asian-Americans registered and ready to vote!
Photo source: http://www.dreamstime.com

7. publicize using every resource
available to you in your region
organize other advocates with a
passion for the cause.
initiate events and communication
with the big players on your
campus.
travel as much as possible. go to
events, gatherings, conferences, and
make the trip to your state legislature
or Washington, D.C.
let people know that you are
pushing for the South Asian vote and
ask them how they can support you

8. as you follow these five steps,
here are a few points to keep in mind!
absentee ballots. many college students are
outside their home states and need to submit
absentee ballots in order to vote. each state has
a different timeline for their electoral process,
which can be tricky to navigate. politically
affiliated websites are available online to help in-
terested voters, such as www.gottavote.org and
www.longdistancevoter.org, non-partisan sites
that explains the absentee
ballot registration process in general.
listservs. one of the best and most often
overlooked ways to reach a wide audience is
through email listservs. if you serve on the board
of a South Asian or AAPI organization, send a
short message out to that listserv explaining
why it’s important for our community to vote.

9. check out these links!
APAICS (Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies):
www.apaics.org
a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting AAPI participation in politics.
APIAvote: www.apiavote.org
a plethora of resources provided by a national nonpartisan organization whose goal
is to mobilize and empower Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to participate in
the civic and electoral processes.
CAPAC (Congressional Asian Pacific-American Caucus):
http://capac-chu.house.gov/
this Congressional caucus is chaired by Dr. Judy Chu, the first Chinese-American
woman to serve in Congress, and comprised of members of Congress who wish to
address the issues and concerns of the AAPI community.
Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL): www.capal.org
a charitable and educational organization dedicated to building leadership and
public policy knowledge within the Asian Pacific American community. its mission is
to promote APA interests and success in public service careers and to provide infor-
mation and education about APA issues to the community as a whole.
WHIAAPI (White House Initiative on Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders):
www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/aapi
the WHIAAPI was reestablished by President Obama in 2009, and works to improve
access to opportunities and quality of life for AAPIs.
Photo source: http://www.shirari.com

10. s
VOTE 2012
an initiative of the washington leadership program
summer 2012
Photo source: http://www.theoriginalwinger.com