FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 7, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jimmy Patel-Nguyen | press@ncaat.org
Historic turnout: 72,000+ Asian Americans cast early votes in N.C.
Driven by NCAAT’s extensive outreach, North Carolina’s Asian American voters made their voices heard amidst divisive candidates and record-breaking voter engagement
RALEIGH, NC – As North Carolina election officials continue verifying provisional and absentee ballots, North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT) is releasing key data demonstrating a historic voter turnout and mobilization among Asian American communities this election cycle. NCAAT is the state’s only Pan-Asian, nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to empower Asian Americans through civic engagement.
Early voting data reveals that over 72,000 Asian Americans voted early or through vote by mail—a record-breaking number in a presidential election in our battleground state. While demographic voter turnout data is not yet available, we expect total Asian American voter participation to be the highest it has ever been in North Carolina. This surge follows NCAAT’s unprecedented outreach efforts across the state, including 80,000 door knocks, 127,000 calls, 685,000 texts, 430,000 multilingual mailings, and a voter assistance hotline in 21 Asian languages.
“In an election shaped by extremism, racism, and divisive policies, North Carolina’s Asian American community showed its strength,” said Chavi Khanna Koneru, NCAAT’s Executive Director and Co-Founder. “For the first time, presidential campaigns invested in Asian language outreach—specifically Vietnamese, Chinese, and Hindi—a significant milestone given that in 2016, 80% of Asian Americans reported never being contacted about the elections. This shift reflects the increasing importance of our community’s vote in North Carolina and beyond.”
While we are disappointed by the passage of the Constitutional Amendment, we are encouraged by the one million voters who cast their vote against the scapegoating of immigrants and in defense of the voting rights of naturalized and U.S.-born citizens. North Carolina deserves a future where all communities are valued, and we will continue to fight to protect the rights of naturalized citizens and all North Carolinians.
For more information about election turnout, please contact Jimmy Patel-Nguyen at press@ncaat.org.
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About NCAAT
North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to supporting equity and justice by fostering community among Asian Americans and allies in North Carolina through civic engagement, leadership development, grassroots mobilization, and political participation.