Electing One of Our Own: Descriptive Representation of Asian Americans

Abstract

The voting behavior of Asian Americans is one of the most intriguing puzzles of contemporary American politics. The potential political significance of the population growth rates of Asian Americans provides a lingering opportunity for parties and candidates seeking to boost their fortunes by mobilizing peripheral electorates. This study uses both experimental design and survey data to examine the thesis of minority representation among Asian American voters. The analysis partially confirms the thesis with caution. The appearance of Asian American candidates on the ballot does increase turnout rates among Asian American voters. Mentioning the origin of the Asian Indian American candidate's parents seems to be positively associated with a higher preference of the Asian Indian American candidate over his opponent. The bivariate analysis of the 2008 presidential election does not only indirectly confirms the minority representation thesis, but also suggests the viability of building an across-racial line coalition.