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Only 21 percent of registered Korean Americans voted in June

October 8, 2014

Korean American candidates hope for better turnout

Young Kim, a Republican candidate for the 65th District seat in the State Assembly, encourages volunteer workers inside her Buena Park office. (Korea Times file)

By Kim Hyung-jae, Tae Hong

The number of Korean Americans registered to vote in California may be higher than ever, but only 21 percent of them voted in the June primary elections, according to Political Data.

Of the about 145,000 registered voters, who make up 0.83 percent of all California voters, 29,085 cast a vote in June.

The percentage of active voters ranged from 14 to 25 percent in districts with Korean American candidates. In Republican State Assembly candidate Young Kim’s District 65, 20.7 percent of registered Korean American voters came out to cast a vote for the primaries. In District 24, where Democrat Peter Choi is running for State Senate, it was 23 percent.

“They say the Korean American community in number and economic ability has visibly grown, but in the mainstream political arena they’re most conscious of the voters,” said Jeff Lee, administrative director of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles. “In order for the Korean American community to gain political strength, participating in voting is a must.”