1. Asian American Survey - Illinois
Findings from a Survey of 700 Asian American Voters nationwide plus 100 each in FL, IL, NV, and VA
Celinda Lake, David Mermin, and Shilpa Grover
Lake Research Partners
Washington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY
LakeResearch.com

2. Methodology
Lake Research Partners designed and conducted this telephone survey of 713 registered Asian American and Pacific Islander voters nationwide, with oversamples of 100 voters in Florida, Illinois, Nevada, and Virginia.
Interviews were conducted April 5-15, Sampling error is +/- 3.7%. For Illinois, we conducted 130 interviews, with a margin of error of +/-8.6%.
Telephone numbers for the survey were drawn randomly from voter files. The sample was stratified geographically by region based on the proportion of voters in each region. The data were weighted by gender, age, region, and race/ethnicity. 2

3. The Asian American voter population in Illinois is made up mostly of immigrants.
The Asian American voter population in Illinois features a significantly larger portion of Koreans (27%), as well as larger portions of Indians (23%) and Chinese (23%) than the nation overall (though the larger portions of Indians and Chinese in Illinois are within the margin of error).
Two-thirds of Asian American voters in Illinois are immigrants who came over when they were teenagers or adults. Among those who were born here, an overwhelming number (86%) are second generation immigrants, or the children of immigrants.
Asian Americans in Illinois are slightly more optimistic than the group overall about the country. 50% of Asian Americans in Illinois say we are heading in the right direction, while 46% say we are heading in the right direction nationwide—however, this is within the margin of error.
Unsurprisingly, in Obama’s home state, 66% of Asian American voters plan to vote for President Obama—a higher figure than the 59% nationwide percentage. However, one-third of Illinois Asian Americans have no opinion of Mitt Romney.
On the generic congressional ballot, 57% say they will vote for the Democratic candidate and 16% for the Republican candidate. Nearly one quarter are undecided, in a state with many key battleground districts.
In Illinois, 27% consume a mix of English and in-language news. 3

4. Demographics of registered Asian American voters in Illinois
Language Spoken At Home:
Korean – 21%
Only English – 20%
Hindi – 18%
Mandarin – 13%
Vietnamese – 10%
Cantonese – 9%
Tagalog – 5%
Hmong – 2%
Other – 10%
Race:
Korean – 27%
Chinese – 23%
Indian – 23%
Vietnamese – 9%
Filipino – 8%
Japanese – 3%
Other – 6%
Gender:
Male – 54%
Female – 46%
Party Identification:
Democrat – 54%
Republican – 16%
Independent/Don’t know/ Refused – 29%
Voting Pattern:
Democratic – 53%
Republican – 15%
Independent/Don’t know/ Refused – 32%
Employment Status:
Employed full time – 55%
Employed part time – 16%
Unemployed – 3%
Retired – 20%
Homemaker – 3%
Marital Status:
Married – 69%
Single – 18%
Unmarried with partner – 7%
Separated/divorced – 3%
Widowed – 3%
Kids under 18:
Yes – 38%
No – 60%
Age:
Under 30 – 17%
30-39 – 20%
40-49 – 19%
50-64 – 22%
65 and over – 17%
Education:
HS or less – 15%
Some college – 17%
College graduate – 44%
Post-graduate – 18% 4

5. About four in five Asian Americans in Illinois report being almost certain to vote this November. This is consistent with nationwide averages, signifying a potential for record turnout among the Asian American community this year. 5
Although it is some time from now, what are the chances of you voting in the election for President, Congress, and other offices this November – are you almost CERTAIN to vote, will you PROBABLY vote, are the chances about 50-50, are you probably NOT going to vote, or are you DEFINITELY not going to vote?

6. Most Asian American voters in Illinois were born outside the US, and of those voters, most immigrated as adults. A greater portion of the Asian American voter population in Illinois was born in another country compared to nationwide totals. 6
Were you born in the United States or were you born in another country?
If born in another country: How old were you when you moved to the United States?

7. Of those who were born in the U. S
Of those who were born in the U.S., more than five in six have immigrant parents. This is higher than the 69% figure for Asian Americans nationwide.
*Asked among those who were born in the United States 7
Was either your mother or your father born in a country other than the United States?

8. While most Asian American voters in Illinois use TV as a news source, 43% use internet and social media. Newspapers are also used by one-third of Asian Americans in Illinois. 8
Thinking about news, which of the following sources would you say you use to get news about politics in the United States?

9. More than one in four Asian American voters in Illinois are getting their news in both English and another language, and more than one in ten primarily consume news in a non-English language. 9
And is the news you watch or read mostly in English, mostly in another language, or an equal mix of both?

10. How Asian Americans Feel About the United States

11. Asian Americans in Illinois generally feel that things are going in the right direction, with little distinction made for the country overall and people like themselves.
How things are going in the country*
How things are going in the country for people like you*
+18
+14
*Asked of half the sample
Thinking about how things are going in the country, do you feel things in this country are going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track?
Thinking about how things are going in the country for people like you, do you feel things in this country are going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track? 11

12. Like the general population, Asian Americans in Illinois have lukewarm to negative perceptions about the economy today. 12
How would you rate how the U.S. economy is doing right now—would you say it is excellent, good, just fair, or poor?

13. While 70% of Asian Americans in Illinois view Obama favorably, 53% rate his job performance as excellent or good. 13
How would you rate the job being done by Barack Obama as President? Is he doing an excellent, good, just fair, or poor job?

14. Asian Americans and their Political Attitudes

15. Over two-thirds of Illinois Asian Americans have favorable impressions of Obama. 1 in 3 either have never heard of or have no opinion of Mitt Romney. They also like the Democratic Party better than the Republican Party.
Net
NO/NH
Unfavorable
Favorable
+50 10
-30 33
+45 15
-38 19
Now I’d like to ask you about some people and organizations who have been mentioned in the news recently. For each, please tell me whether you have a VERY favorable, SOMEWHAT favorable, somewhat UNFAVORABLE, or VERY unfavorable impression. If you haven’t heard of them [6] , or if you don’t know enough about them to have an impression [5], just say so, and we will move on. 15

16. Asian Americans in Illinois clearly favor Obama over Romney, with two-thirds of the state’s Asian American population supporting the President. However, one in five remain undecided.
+56
*Asked of 115 respondents. 15 received a similar question on Obama vs. Santorum before he dropped out. 16
Assuming Mitt Romney is the nominee for the Republican party, if the election for President was held today and the candidates were: President Barack Obama, Democrat and Former Governor Mitt Romney, Republican, for whom would you vote, or are you undecided?

17. A majority of Asian Americans in Illinois reports voting for Obama in 2008.17
Thinking about past elections, did you get a chance to vote in the 2008 presidential election? If so, did you vote for Democrat Barack Obama or Republican John McCain?

18. While Republicans do slightly better at the congressional than presidential level, a majority of Asian Americans in Illinois would vote for the Democratic candidate. Nearly a quarter remains undecided.
+41 18
And if the election for U.S. Congress were held today, would you vote for: the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate in your district, or are you undecided?

19. On values and fairness, Asian Americans say the Democratic Party is much better than the Republican Party. Democrats also have the advantage on foreign policy, education, taxes, and immigration, though significant percentages see no difference between the parties.
No Diff/ DK
Republican Party
Democratic Party 27 22 34 33 34 38
Now I’d like to ask you about some issues that might be important in the election. For each, please tell me whether you think the Democratic Party or the Republican Party is doing a better job with this issue, or if there is no difference. Do you feel the Democratic Party or the Republican Party is doing a better job with this issue? Is that a MUCH better job or SOMEWHAT? 19

20. On nearly all issues except national security, the budget deficit, and immigration, a majority says the Democratic Party is doing a better job, though close to a third see no difference between the parties or don’t know.
No Diff/ DK
Republican Party
Democratic Party 31 33 37 37 34
Now I’d like to ask you about some issues that might be important in the election. For each, please tell me whether you think the Democratic Party or the Republican party is doing a better job with this issue, or if there is no difference. Do you feel the Democratic Party or the Republican Party is doing a better job with this issue? Is that a MUCH better job or SOMEWHAT? 20

21. Engaging Asian Americans

22. Asian Americans in Illinois have been a largely untapped voting bloc
Asian Americans in Illinois have been a largely untapped voting bloc. Most have not been contacted by either party.
By the Democratic Party
By the Republican Party 26 18 22
Have you been contacted by the Democratic party/Republican party in the past two years a great deal, some, a little, or not at all?

23. Two in five Asian American voters in Illinois say they are more enthusiastic to vote this year than in previous elections, while one-third express less enthusiasm.
+10 23
Compared to previous elections, would you say you are more enthusiastic about voting in 2012 than usual, or less enthusiastic than usual? [IF MORE OR LESS ENTHUSIASTIC: Is that much more/less enthusiastic or somewhat?]

24. A quarter of Illinois respondents who speak another language say they would be more likely to vote if they had in-language assistance.
*Asked of 104 respondents who took the survey in another language or say they speak another language at home
For future elections, would in-language assistance make you more or less likely to vote in elections, or would it make no difference? 24

25. Washington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY
LakeResearch.com
Celinda Lake
David Mermin
Shilpa Grover