Current forecasts show that Democrats are struggling to save the Senate majority, while trying to prevent more losses in the House, which the GOP already controls by a 234 to 201 margin.
The Democrats control the Senate by a 55 to 45 margin.
The question is: will the immigrant vote have an impact on the elections?
Asians are now the largest immigrant group in the state. And community leaders say they’re really becoming more politicized and more aware of the benefits of being politically empowered.
The group, Filipino Advocates for Justice, which is part of the Mobilize the Immigrant Vote Campaign, believes Filipinos are a force to reckon with in the midterm elections.
In California, more than 417,000 Filipinos are registered to vote, comprising two percent of the state’s registered voters.
“California is still where almost half of the Filipino population, and that’s without even counting the undocumented reside,” said Lillian Galedo, of Filipino Advocates For Justice. “So there’s a long history of Filipinos being active politically in California, which continues to this day.”
The Filipino Party affiliation in California is 40 percent Democrats, 26 percent Republicans, 31 percent non-partisan or decline to state, and three percent other.
“Here in California, we’re seeing a new trend,” said Galedo. “There’s almost as many people who are declining to state. They’re neither declaring themselves Republican or Democrats. They’re wanting to sort of keep their options open and not declaring allegiance to the party system and beginning to look at what people have to say.”
Christina Halog has been a U.S. citizen since 1973 and has never missed voting in any U.S. election since. More than casting her vote, she encourages other kababayans to vote through phone.
She is also a poll worker.
“It’s important so I can have a voice and to be able to contribute,” she said. “To give back.”
Mona Dating has practiced her right to vote since she became a U.S. citizen in 1982. She says being too busy is not an excuse to cast your ballot.
“Sa Filipino community, tayo ang largest, one of the largest minorities in the U.S.,” said Dating. “We need to exercise our right to vote.”
So are Filipinos politically empowered? These community leaders and volunteers say we’re getting there. But there needs to be more effort and more work if Filipinos truly want their voices heard and their votes to count in this adopted country.
Read more from Balitang America.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
