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Asian American Voters

By immigrationprof

For Immediate Release:                                       
Contact:
Christine Chen, Executive Director, APIAVote, 202-223-9170

2007 ASIAN AMERICAN CANDIDATES GALVANIZE ASIAN AMERICAN VOTERS

Washington, DC – With the November 6 elections, Asian Americans were elected and re-elected to local, city and statewide office from Las Cruces, New Mexico to Louisiana to Fitchburg, Massachusetts. 

APIAVote Executive Director Christine Chen stated, “Asian American candidates serve as the greatest galvanizing force in increasing voter registration in our community and turning out the vote.  They also are the most effective catalyst in getting our community actively engaged in the political process from volunteering as phone bankers, door knockers, fundraisers, etc.”   

Newly elected officials outside of California include:

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) – elected on October 20 becoming the first South Asian to be elected governor in the United States.
Fitchburg, Massachusetts Mayor Lisa Wong (D) – winning 75% of the vote and defeating a 4-term incumbent becoming the first female and first minority mayor of a former mill town.
Las Cruces, New Mexico Mayor Ken Miyagishima – won by 74 votes in his thirdrun for Mayor.
Edison, New Jersey City Councilmember Sudhanshu Prasad
Newton, Massachusetts City Councilmember Greer Tan Swiston
Houston Community College Board of Trustees Neeta Sane
Spring, Texas Independent School District Trustee Calvin Tang

In California, newly electeds include:

Cupertino City Councilmember Gilbert Wong
Marin Community College District Member Carole Hayashino
Millbrae City Councilmember Paul Seto
Palo Alto City Councilmember Yiaway Yeh
Patterson Joint Unified School District Member Bobby Yamamoto
Diamond Bar City Councilmember Jack Tanaka
El Monte City Councilmember Emily Ishigaki
ABC Unified School District Member Sophia Tse
Cerritos Community College Member Tina Cho
Garvey School District Member Janet Chin
Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Member Jay F. Chen
Monrovia Unified School District Member Bryan Wong
Temple City Unified School District Member Janet Rhee

Non-California Re-elected Officials include:

New Jersey Assemblymember Upendra Chivikula (D)
Boston City Councilmember Sam Yoon (D)
Newton City Councilmember Amy Mah Sangiolo
St. Paul, Minnesota School Board Member Kazoua Kong-Thao
Houston City Councilmember M.J. Khan (D)
Fairfax, Virginia School Board Member Ilryong Moon

California Re-elected Officials include:

Cupertino City Councilmember Kris Wang
Larkspur City Councilmember Larry Chu
San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris
Sunnyvale City Councilmember Otto Lee
ABC Unified School District Member Armin Reyes
Azusa Unified School District Member Ilean Ochoa
Duarte Unified School District Member Pamela Kawasaki
Garvey School District Member Henry Lo
Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Member Norman Hsu
Rowland Unified School District Member Judy Nieh
South Pasadena Unified School District Member Joseph Loo

The Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is a national non-partisan, nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes civic participation of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the electoral and public policy processes at the national, state and local levels.

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