Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026 | Population, Registration & Party Preferences

Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026 shows 16 million eligible AAPI voters nationwide, with more than half living in five states led by California at 4,872,823. Asian American voters backed Democrats 64% to 33% in a 10,141-voter poll, and 71% to 28% in the NBC News exit poll.

Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026 – Introduction

Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026 depends on where Asian American voters live. About 16 million eligible Asian American and Pacific Islander voters could cast ballots on November 3, 2026, including 1.6 million who became eligible after 2022. Asian Americans were 4% of voters in the NBC News exit poll and backed Democrats 71% to 28%. This report covers the eligible electorate by state, battleground shares, population growth, party preferences, first-time voters and turnout signals.

No source has published a complete 2026 Asian American turnout rate for every state. State election offices record race inconsistently, and national surveys sample too few voters in most states. This report therefore pairs verified state population figures with statewide turnout rates and community turnout reports. Each table names its source, and survey samples are noted where they matter.

Interesting Facts: Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026

ASIAN AMERICAN VOTE CHOICE, 2026 (each █ = 4%)
NORC, Asian Americans, Democratic  ██████████████████ 70%
NBC exit poll, Democratic          ██████████████████ 71%
BSP poll, Democratic               ████████████████ 64%
BSP poll, Republican               ████████ 33%
NBC exit poll, Republican          ███████ 28%

Source: AAPI Data and APIAVote, 2026 AAPI Voters Data and Narrative Toolkit; NBC News Exit Poll (SSRS), 2026; BSP Research and African American Research Collaborative, 2026 Midterm Election Voter Poll (October 20 to November 3); NORC Civic Health & Elections Project.

The three surveys agree on direction and differ on size. The BSP poll found Asian American voters backing Democrats 64% to 33%, a 31-point margin. The exit poll found 71% to 28%, a 43-point margin. NORC data reported by AAPI Data show 70% of Asian Americans backing a Democratic House candidate, while just under 49% of Pacific Islanders did.

Eligibility numbers show scale. The 16 million eligible voters include 1.6 million added since 2022. One in eight AAPI voters cast a first ballot in 2026, and 17% of AAPI voters who backed Donald Trump in 2024 voted Democratic. Those three facts explain why Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026 drew heavy campaign attention.

2026 AAPI Eligible Voters Nationwide: How Fast Is the Asian American Electorate Growing?

ELIGIBLE VOTER GROWTH, 2020 TO 2024 (each █ = 2%)
Asian Americans        ██████████ 19%
Pacific Islanders      ███████ 14%
Overall US electorate  ██ 3%

Source: AAPI Data, APIAVote and NCAPA, 2026 AAPI Voters Data and Narrative Toolkit (American Community Survey data).

The AAPI electorate stands at 16 million, or 16.17 million in the latest American Community Survey year. Asian American eligible voters grew 19% from 2020 to 2024, and Pacific Islander eligible voters grew 14%. The overall US electorate grew 3%. The 1.6 million newly eligible voters equal about 10% of the AAPI electorate by our calculation.

The community is also younger. The median age of AAPI voters is 44, against 48 for the whole electorate, and 32% of eligible AAPI voters are between 18 and 34. Younger voters were central to 2026 coverage: North Carolina organizers reported young Asian American early in-person voting at about 145% of its 2022 level. These numbers set up the state tables in Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026.

2026 AAPI Eligible Voters by State: California, New York, Texas, Hawaii and Washington

ELIGIBLE AAPI VOTERS BY STATE (each █ = 250,000)
California  ███████████████████ 4,872,823
New York    █████ 1,259,868
Texas       █████ 1,247,926
Hawaii      ███ 717,019
Washington  ███ 664,653

Source: AAPI Data, 2026 AAPI Voters Data and Narrative Toolkit; our calculation against the 2024 national total of 16.17 million.

California has 4,872,823 eligible AAPI voters, 30.1% of the national total. New York follows with 1,259,868, Texas with 1,247,926, Hawaii with 717,019 and Washington with 664,653. The five states together hold 8,762,289 eligible voters, or 54.2% of the AAPI electorate.

Hawaii has the highest AAPI share of any state at 64.0%, followed by California at 17.0% and Washington at 10.5%. Nevada (11.6%) and New Jersey (8.8%) also rank in the top five by share. Texas and New York have large counts but lower shares. Counts and shares matter in different ways: California sets national totals, and smaller states decide closer statewide races.

2026 AAPI Share of the Electorate in Battleground States and Statewide Turnout

AAPI SHARE OF ELIGIBLE ELECTORATE, 2024 (each █ = 1%)
Nevada          ████████████ 12%
Arizona         ████ 4.4%
Georgia         ████ 4.2%
Pennsylvania    ███ 3.3%
Michigan        ███ 3%
North Carolina  ███ 3%
Wisconsin       ███ 3%

Source: AAPI Data and APIAVote, 2026 AAPI Voter Survey (2024 electorate shares); University of Florida Election Lab, 2026 General Election Turnout Rates v0.2 (November 4, 2026).

AAPI voters were 12% of Nevada’s eligible electorate in 2024, the highest battleground share. Arizona followed at 4.4% and Georgia at 4.2%. Pennsylvania stood at 3.3%, and Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin each at 3.0%. These shares are small, but close races turn on them: AAPI Data lists Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Nevada among 2026 competitive contests.

Statewide turnout varied widely. Michigan (63.65%) and Wisconsin (60.33%) ranked third and sixth nationally. Georgia (51.98%), North Carolina (50.32%) and Pennsylvania (50.06%) cleared 50%. Nevada (48.17%) and Arizona (46.66%) fell below the national rate of 48.76%. These are all-voter rates, not Asian American rates, and no source has published the latter by state yet.

2026 AAPI Population Growth by State and County: Texas, Nevada, New Jersey and Virginia

AAPI POPULATION GROWTH (each █ = 5%)
Texas   ██████████████ 69.2%
Nevada  ██████████ 50.4%

Source: APIAVote and AAPI Data, 2026 AAPI Voter State Fact Sheets (American Community Survey PUMS).

Texas had the fastest AAPI population growth among the states highlighted, at 69.2%, with a 6% vote share. Nevada grew 50.4% and has a 13% AAPI vote share, the highest of any battleground. Texas voters delivered a Democratic governor for the first time since 1995, and Collin County flipped in the Senate race, according to organizers at the Asian American Texas Action Fund.

County figures show where Asian American voters concentrate. Queens leads at 27.4% of population, followed by Loudoun County at 22%, Middlesex County at 25.8% and Fairfax County at 20.1%. Bergen County, New Jersey stands at 17%. These counties sit inside competitive House districts in New York, New Jersey and Virginia. Population shares are not voter shares, because many residents are not yet citizens.

2026 Asian American Party Preferences: Democratic and Republican Vote Share

DEMOCRATIC SHARE OF ASIAN AMERICAN VOTE (each █ = 4%)
NBC exit poll            ██████████████████ 71%
NORC, Asian Americans    ██████████████████ 70%
BSP poll, AAPI           ████████████████ 64%
NORC, Pacific Islanders  ████████████ 49%

Source: NBC News Exit Poll (SSRS), 2026; BSP Research and African American Research Collaborative (October 20 to November 3, 2026); NORC via AAPI Data (November 4, 2026).

Every source shows a Democratic majority. The exit poll gives Democrats 71%, NORC gives 70% among Asian Americans, and the BSP poll gives 64% among all AAPI voters. Pacific Islanders split more evenly at just under 49% Democratic. AAPI Data’s Karthick Ramakrishnan said Asian Americans historically vote about two to one Democratic, which matches the BSP margin.

Compared with 2024, the shift favors Democrats. BSP respondents recalled voting 56% Harris to 34% Trump in 2024, a 22-point margin. The 2026 House margin is 31 points. NORC found Asian Americans voted Democratic at about the same level as Latino voters, more than white voters and less than Black voters. The BSP margin of error is not published in the sources used, so treat gaps of a few points as noise.

2026 First-Time Voters and Defection: Who Switched and Who Voted for the First Time?

AAPI VOTER SHIFT MEASURES (each █ = 5%)
Believe Republicans hostile or uncaring        ███████████████ 73%
Heard from nonpartisan or AAPI group (1 in 3)  ███████ 33%
First voted 2022 or later (1 in 3)             ███████ 33%
Trump 2024 voters who backed Democrats         ███ 17%
First ballot in 2026 (1 in 8)                  ██ 12.5%

Source: BSP Research and African American Research Collaborative, 2026 Midterm Election Voter Poll (October 20 to November 3, 2026).

17% of AAPI voters who backed Trump in 2024 voted Democratic in 2026. Democrats were more likely than Republicans to contact AAPI voters, and one in three heard from at least one nonpartisan or AAPI community group. 73% said Republicans do not care about them or are hostile toward them. The poll covered 2,130 AAPI voters among 10,141 respondents.

New voters also mattered. One in eight AAPI voters, or 12.5%, cast a first ballot in 2026, and one in three first voted in 2022 or later. AAPI Data noted little crossover overall, since voters tended to repeat their 2024 choice, but crossover ran toward Democrats. That combination of new voters and a modest defection rate defines Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026.

2026 Asian American Voter Registration and Turnout Signals: North Carolina, Georgia and Intent to Vote

AAPI TURNOUT INTENT AND HISTORY (each █ = 5%)
Plan to vote, 2026 survey     ██████████████████ 90%
Plan to vote, 2018 survey     █████████████████ 86%
Plan to vote, 2022 survey     █████████████████ 84%
Asian American turnout, 2020  ████████████ 60%
Asian American turnout, 2018  ████████ 42%

Source: AAPI Data 2026 AAPI Voter Survey (2,066 voters); Northwest Asian Weekly, AAPI Data and American Community Media briefing (November 4, 2026); NBC News.

Before the election, 90% of AAPI registered voters said they planned to vote, up from 84% in 2022 and 86% in 2018. 71% said they were certain. In North Carolina, about 150,000 registered voters identify as Asian, and organizers said Asian American turnout more than doubled from 2022. Young AAPI early in-person voting there reached about 145% of its 2022 level.

History shows the same upward path. National estimates put Asian American turnout at 42% in 2018 and 60% in 2020, and Georgia’s Asian American turnout grew 84% between 2016 and 2020. Intent to vote overstates actual turnout in every group, and the Census Bureau’s voting supplement will publish the 2026 rate later. Until then, state-level AAPI turnout rests on organizer reports and survey intent.

2026 Asian American Voter Priorities and Barriers: Cost of Living, Health Care and Immigration Fears

Source: BSP Research and African American Research Collaborative; NORC via AAPI Data; Northwest Asian Weekly briefing coverage (November 5, 2026).

Cost of living dominated every racial group in the BSP poll. In NORC data, a majority of AAPI voters said they voted to improve Americans’ economic well-being. Asian Americans ranked health care second, while Pacific Islanders ranked preventing government overreach second. APIAVote’s Kevin Hirano described AAPI and Latino voters as the movable middle, tied to issues and not to parties.

Barriers were real. Georgia focus groups reported anxiety about immigration enforcement near polling places, even among US-born voters who carried passports and ID. In Harris County, Texas, organizers said Justice Department monitors in plainclothes watched polling places. Stephanie Cho of the Asian American Texas Action Fund said extreme messaging in the South “soured” voters. These accounts are organizer reports, not audited counts, and they shape how Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026 should be read.

Asian American Voters Turnout by State 2026 – Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Asian American Voters Are There in the US in 2026?

About 16 million eligible AAPI voters, including 1.6 million newly eligible since 2022, according to AAPI Data.

Which State Has the Most Asian American Voters in 2026?

California, with 4,872,823 eligible AAPI voters, about 30.1% of the national total.

Which State Has the Highest Share of Asian American Voters?

Hawaii at 64.0%, followed by California at 17.0%, Nevada at 11.6%, Washington at 10.5% and New Jersey at 8.8%.

How Did Asian Americans Vote in the 2026 Midterm Elections?

The NBC exit poll shows 71% Democratic and 28% Republican. The BSP poll shows 64% to 33%. NORC shows 70% Democratic.

How Did Pacific Islanders Vote in 2026?

Just under 49% voted Democratic for the House, according to NORC data cited by AAPI Data.

What Share of 2026 Voters Were Asian American?

Asian voters were 4% of the electorate in the NBC News exit poll.

Did Asian American Voters Move Toward Democrats in 2026?

Yes. 17% of AAPI voters who backed Trump in 2024 voted Democratic in 2026, according to the BSP poll.

How Many AAPI Voters Cast a First Ballot in 2026?

One in eight, or 12.5%. One in three first voted in 2022 or later.

What Was Asian American Turnout in North Carolina in 2026?

Organizers said it more than doubled from 2022, with about 150,000 registered voters identifying as Asian.

What Is the Asian American Share of the Electorate in Nevada?

12% of eligible voters in 2024, the highest of any battleground state.

Which Battleground States Have Large AAPI Electorates?

Nevada (12%), Arizona (4.4%), Georgia (4.2%), Pennsylvania (3.3%), and Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin (3.0% each).

What Was Statewide Turnout in Georgia in 2026?

51.98% of eligible voters, ranking 10th nationally, according to University of Florida Election Lab estimates.

What Issues Mattered Most to Asian American Voters in 2026?

Cost of living led, followed by health care for Asian Americans and preventing government overreach for Pacific Islanders.

Is There a Final 2026 Asian American Turnout Rate by State?

Not yet. The Census Bureau publishes turnout by race in a later voting supplement, and state-level data depends on voter files.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.