Asian-American & Pacific Islander Voters are a Rising Force in Maryland

Too often post-election pundits can’t help but paint broad brushes of why certain demographics did or did not turn out and why they voted the way they did. When things go wrong for one party or right with the other, the analysis centers on messaging, strategy, and outreach.

In Maryland, AAPI voters are too often seen as a monolith. As a result, grassroots or media outreach is rarely comprehensive.

Intentional AAPI outreach requires time and effort – candidates and aligned organizations must work with community and business leaders across the AAPI spectrum to pinpoint the issues that are important to this very diverse community. In some districts, it can be the difference between winning and losing.

This was certainly the case in the competitive 9th Legislative District race where Maryland Democrats are overjoyed with historic wins. This district encompasses a large part of Howard County and Southeast Montgomery County. The District’s 3 house seats are grouped into the “subdistricts” 9A and 9B. What some may not know is that 1 in 4 potential voters (18+) identify as Asian-American or Pacific Islander in District 9 – the second largest percentage in the State after District 15.

Democratic candidates for Delegate in 9A, Natalie Zeigler and Chao Wu won ahead of longtime Republican incumbent, Trent Kittleman. Senator Katie Fry Hester – who represents all of District 9 – and Delegate Courtney Watson (9B) won re-election in a landslide. It’s without a doubt that AAPI voters played a critical part in the outcome.

Our firm, Fells Group, was proud to provide paid ethnic media outreach to the winning campaigns of State Senator Katie Fry Hester, State Delegate Courtney Watson, and State Delegate Brian Crosby – all of whom were in competitive districts. 

AAPIs are one of the fastest growing populations in Maryland and, in 13 house districts, makeup 10% or more of the voting population. 33 Delegates and 13 Senators in total represent these districts with sizable AAPI populations. Candidates who ignore this group do so at their own peril, and reaching this group requires nuance and the correct messaging. 

At Fells Group, we pride ourselves on being one of the leading firms helping clients communicate with this critical voting group. From message and narrative development to our knowledge of what media is consumed by whom and where; we get your message to the voting groups that need to hear it. 

With that. Here are a few tips when considering your AAPI outreach strategy. 

1. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are diverse, ethnically and politically, with unique histories. Your outreach strategy needs to reflect that. A one sized-fits all message won't work. 
2. Go to where the media is consumed. Traditional outreach methods such as Facebook and local media aren't enough. AAPIs consume media through a variety of mediums, including social media channels such as WeChat and hyper-local in-language publications. 
3. Reach out to this community! Even if this group represents a small portion of your electorate. Elections are won in the margins. A recent poll found that over half of AAPI voters have never been contacted by a political party. 
4. Translation of ads is important, but should not be an impediment to candidates reaching out to AAPI voters. A large majority of high propensity AAPI voters are either monolingual English or bilingual speakers. It's the message and narrative that are important. They need to reflect the communities priorities. 

Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders are the fastest-growing populations in the United States. with record turnout during the last election cycle. Keep that in mind when planning your campaign outreach strategy.