For many in Massachusetts’ rapidly growing Asian American community, political participation is a vehicle to expand opportunities. Involvement in the selection of public officials and casting votes on critical issues are important manifestations of civic engagement. This participation, while it may offer opportunities for Asian Americans, also poses some significant challenges. In order to vote, adult residents must be United States citizens by birth or naturalization, but that is not enough. Citizens must also be registered to vote. This report provides the most detailed information on voter registration and Asian Americans in Massachusetts ever assembled. It includes analysis by the Institute for Asian American Studies of recent data from the cities and towns in Massachusetts with more than 4,000 voting age Asian Americans.

The information on voter registration is organized into three parts. The first section includes two different measures of voter registration: 1) the registration rate for Asian Americans of voting age, and 2) the registration rate for Asian Americans of voting age who are citizens. The second section examines the consequences of voter registration rates on actual and potential Asian American electoral influence by looking at: 1) the Asian American share of the voting age population, 2) the Asian American share of voting age citizens, and 3) the Asian American share of registered voters. The final section provides data on the party affiliations of Asian Americans who are registered to vote.