Voting Rights Tools and Resources
Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the nation’s fastest growing racial demographic group1. As the AAPI community grows, it is playing an important role in the outcome of elections. AJSOCAL recognizes that protecting the right to vote ensures that diverse voices are being heard, and representatives are accountable to the needs of the AAPI community.
Choose Your Language
Language Accessibility
Election Protection
Know Your Rights
How to Vote
We encourage you to report any potential violations to our legal helplines:
ENGLISH: 888.349.9695
普通话/广东话 (Chinese): 800.520.2356
한국어 (Korean): 800.867.3640
ខ្មែរ (Khmer): 800.867.3126
TAGALOG (Filipino): 855.300.2552
हिन्दी (Hindi): 855.971.2552
ภาษาไทย (Thai): 800.914.9583
TIẾNG VIỆT (Vietnamese): 714.477.2958
Language Accessibility
Additionally, California Elections Code, section 14201 requires that county elections officials provide a translated facsimile ballot and instructions in a conspicuous location in precincts where 3% or more of the voting-age residents are members of a single language minority and lack sufficient skills in English to vote without assistance.
As a voter in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, you have the right to cast your ballot in federally mandated languages (Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Spanish). If you are voting in Los Angeles County, you have access to ballots translated in Filipino and Cambodian.
| County | Per Section 203 (Translated Ballots) | California Elections code, section 14201 |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Cambodian Chinese (includes Taiwanese)* Korean Hispanic Filipino* Vietnamese | Armenian Bengali Burmese Farsi Gujarati Hindi Indonesian Japanese Khmer Mongolian Persian Russian Telugu Thai |
| Orange | Chinese (includes Taiwanese)* Korean Hispanic Vietnamese | Filipino Gujarati Hindi Japanese Persian |
Election Protection
AJSOCAL conducts a robust, non-partisan poll monitoring program in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. For the 2024 Presidential Primary Election, our poll monitors observed nearly 65 vote centers between Los Angeles and Orange counties during the early voting period and on Election Day. We selected monitoring locations based on the percentage of the population that identified as AAPI, percentage of the population that had limited English proficiency, and percentage of registered AAPI voters in the 2022 elections, such as Monterey Park, Koreatown, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Historic Filipino Town, Thai Town, Garden Grove, and Westminster.
Through our efforts to curb any attempts to violate voting rights and voter intimidation, we promote accountability and transparency for the AAPI community. We will investigate attempts to instill illegal voter ID requirements or spread election misinformation to wrongfully influence voters.
Know Your Rights
Q: What if someone is preventing me from casting my ballot?
California municipalities are required to abide by state election laws. City and county officials should not instill additional requirements that hinder others from casting their ballots.
Please report the incident right away at (213) 241-0222. Or, email AJSOCAL at voter@ajsocal.org.
Q: What if someone is relaying false information to me?
AJSOCAL is dedicated to combating the spread of misinformation at the expense of the Asian American community. We highly encourage you to report the incident right away at (213) 241-0222. Or, email AJSOCAL at voter@ajsocal.org.
Q: Am I qualified to vote?
As a citizen, you have the right to vote if you are a registered voter. You are eligible to vote if you are the following:
- A U.S. citizen living in California
- At least 18 years old
- Registered where you currently live
- Not serving a state of federal prison term for the conviction of a felony
- Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court
Q: What if I can’t register on time?
You have the opportunity to vote by provisional ballot. The county election officials will first certify your vote before counting it.
Q: Can I still vote if the voting center closes?
Yes, you can still vote if you are still in line when the voting center closes.
Q: Is anyone entitled to see how I vote?
No, you have the right to cast a secret ballot.
Q: I’ve made a mistake on my ballot. How can I change my vote?
If you have not casted you vote, you can ask an elections official at a polling place for a new ballot. You can exchange your vote-by-mail ballot for a new one at an elections office or at a voting center. You can vote using a provisional ballot at a voting center.
Q: I need assistance to fill out my ballot.
You have the right to get help casting your ballot from anyone you choose, except your employer or union representative.
Q: How can I drop off my vote-by-mail ballot?
Q: I need a ballot in a different language.
You can request materials in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Spanish when you register to vote. Other languages may be available if enough people in your precinct speak the language.
Q: I saw illegal activity, what should I do?
You have the right to report any illegal or fraudulent election activity. Contact us at one of our helplines. Or, email AJSOCAL at voter@ajsocal.org.
Here’s how you can vote:
Registrar’s Office
