Aug. 6, 2025, WASHINGTON, DC – On the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, APIAVote celebrates the strides we have made in protecting and expanding the voting rights of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, while also acknowledging that there is still much work to be done.
In 1965, the passage of the Voting Rights Act prohibited racial discrimination in voting, outlawing literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses among other systemic barriers that disproportionately barred communities of color from casting their ballots. For AANHPIs, however, who are stereotyped as perpetual outsiders, the battle was on two fronts. Whereas the Voting Rights Act protected citizens’ right to vote regardless of race or ethnicity, obtaining citizenship itself was a battle our AANHPI ancestors fought for. It wasn’t until the Immigrant and Nationality Acts of 1952 and 1965 opened pathways for AANHPIs to obtain citizenship that voting became a tangible right for our communities.
“The anniversary of the Voting Rights Act is a reminder that the many issues AANHPI communities face are interconnected the struggles for racial equity, assimilation, and civic engagement are deeply tied to one another,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIAVote. “Today, we celebrate the activism and commitment to equity demonstrated by our African American, Latin American, and AANHPI ancestors, who dedicated their lives to enshrining our rights to citizenship and voting.”
This year, we also celebrate the 50th anniversary of Section 203, adopted in 1975 to protect voting rights of limited English proficient citizens. With about 32% of Asian Americans being limited English proficient, AANHPIs have the highest level of language assistance needs compared to any other racial demographic. By requiring voting materials to be translated in communities with high non-English speaking populations, Section 203 is foundational to ensuring all eligible voters’ AANHPI people’s ability to vote.
Despite the progress we have made, our work is not done yet. In recent years, we are witnessing a devastating erosion of the Voting Rights Act. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County v. Holder eliminated requirements that states and localities obtain federal approval for changes to voting policies. While the approval process previously served as a check against discriminatory voting policy, following the Court’s decision, a number of states implemented voter laws that have exacerbated voter suppression, particularly for marginalized communities.
Under the Trump administration, threats to the Voting Rights Act have escalated. The Supreme Court recently paused a lower court ruling that would have blocked voters and civil rights groups from suing under Section 2 of the Act—a section responsible for 87% of voting rights claims. While this pause is a temporary win, Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissented, raising fears the Court’s conservative majority could later side against voting protections. Another case from Louisiana could further erode Section 2 by making it nearly impossible to challenge racial gerrymandering. Meanwhile, Trump’s Justice Department shifted focus toward voter suppression, pushing false voter fraud claims and supporting efforts to require proof of citizenship to vote.
As bad-faith actors work to weaken the Voting Rights Act, it is crucial that we remain steadfast in our commitment to advocating for the voting rights of all communities in the United States.
### About APIAVote:
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to strengthen and sustain a culture of civic engagement. See our website for more information at https://www.apiavote.org/
