Asian American Voters Break Runoff Voting Records and Cast Ballots for a New Georgia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2021
CONTACT INFORMATION
James C. Woo
404.585.8446 x 104
jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org
Atlanta, GA — Following a record-breaking turnout in the General Election, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters in Georgia cast ballots in historic record numbers for the Senate runoff race. Facing a COVID-19 pandemic, closures of early voting locations, language barriers, and heightened fear and intimidation about voting, our communities overcame unacceptable barriers to exercise their right to vote.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta (Advancing Justice-Atlanta) connected with voters in 9 languages (English, Korean, Mandarin, Catonese, Gujurati, Arabic, Hindi, Vietnamese and Urdu) by sending out 171,000 mailers, calling 228,000 voters, sending 435,000 texts and knocking on 8,100 doors. We won expanded language access at the polls. Our advocacy led to DeKalb and Cobb counties voluntarily providing officially translated composite ballots for the first time in state history in an Asian language (Korean) and Spanish. Advancing Justice-Atlanta's election protection program monitored 30 voting locations during early voting and election day as well as providing interpretation at the polls.
Stephanie Cho, Executive Director of Advancing Justice-Atlanta shared, “Heading into Election Day we had already won. Regardless of the election outcomes, candidates must prove that they’re listening to AAPI communities’ and what’s important to us. As AAPI voters, our communities care deeply about Georgia and our communities’ futures— including our access to the democratic process through in-language voting materials.”
One Korean American voter, 85-year-old Jeum Ran Son, shared, “With healthcare and so many important issues on the line, I am glad that I was able to cast my ballot and be able to participate in the process. I just hope for a better future for all.” Advancing Justice-Atlanta helped Ms. Son register to vote in Dekalb County and volunteers have helped her vote in every election since she became a citizen.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is the first nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities in Georgia and the Southeast. For more information about Advancing Justice-Atlanta, visit https://advancingjustice-atlanta.org.
