FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, NOVEMBER 4, 2026, LOS ANGELES, CA – As results from the 2026 midterm elections continue to be tallied across the country, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) celebrates the energy and turn out of voters exercising their fundamental right to make their voices heard.
This election is a reminder of the power of our democracy in action. Across the country, voters have turned to the ballot box to express their priorities, demand accountability, and shape the direction of their government. Their participation reflects a desire for change, greater equality, and respect for the constitutional rights and freedoms that belong to all Americans.
We also celebrate the historic firsts emerging from this election, including Deb Haaland becoming the first Native American woman elected governor, Keisha Lance Bottoms becoming the first Black woman elected governor, Xavier Becerra becoming California’s first elected Latino governor, Byron Donalds becoming Florida’s first Black governor, Amy Acton becoming Ohio’s first woman elected governor, and Gina Hinojosa becoming the first Latina governor for Texas. In the U.S. Senate, Abdul El-Sayed becoming the first Muslim elected, Chris Pappas becoming the first openly gay man elected and Peggy Flanagan becoming the first Native American woman elected. These milestones reflect the growing diversity of our democracy and the importance of representation at every level of government.
“We are proud to stand alongside our communities at this important moment for our democracy,” said Dahni Tsuboi, Chief Executive Officer of AJSOCAL. “After witnessing policies and actions from the current administration that have deeply divided communities, we remain hopeful that the voices expressed in this election will lead to policies that better serve everyone. As results continue to come in, we expect Asian American voters to demonstrate once again their growing influence as a consequential voting bloc in races across the country, both this year and in elections to come.”
Ahead of Election Day, AJSOCAL took action in court and in our communities to protect the right to vote. We joined a federal lawsuit challenging the targeting and intimidation of naturalized citizens and collaborated with Fair Elections Center on an amicus brief opposing efforts to segregate California mail ballots based on flawed citizenship data. We also called on nine Southern California county sheriffs to protect voters by committing that county deputies and resources would not be used to support federal immigration enforcement operations at or near voting locations.
Alongside that advocacy, we helped communities participate through multilingual voting resources, community partnerships, and monitoring of more than 80 voting centers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Through Drag Me to the Polls, we brought partners and communities together to celebrate QTAPI and LGBTQ+ voices and connect voters with information about their rights.
We thank the voters, volunteers, and community organizations who helped make participation possible. Protecting their voices remains essential as ballots are counted and results are finalized.
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Media Contacts:
Liza Ameen, Lameen@ajsocal.org, 213-241-0258
Hanna Chea, Hchea@ajsocal.org, 213-241-0255
