Georgia's AAPI voters being woo'd like never before; Polls open until 7 p.m.

James Woo/AAAJ-Atlanta

Multi-lingual volunteers from Asian Americans Advancing Justice are going door-to-door.

For those of use who don't live in Georgia, its hard to imagine the intense battle for votes between the candidates for Senate.

In a tight, tight race, such as the state's runoff election for the U.S. Senate that is being finalized today, every vote counts.

"The power is literally in your hands," President-elect Joe Biden said Monday addressing Atlanta voters on Monday. "Unlike any time in my career, one state -- one state can chart the course not just for the next four years but for the next generation."

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been targeted by both Republicans and Democrats in key regions where they could be the swing votes.

AAPI voters throughout the state, 240,000 strong, could very well be the deciding factor. The stakes are enormous.

It could mean four more years of Washington gridlock led by Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell whose grip on the Senate leadership depends on today's outcome; or the vote could determine the ability of the President Joe Biden administration to pass the promises he made during the campaign.

Polls indicate a photo finish in both races. Democrats Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock face Republican incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively.

One of the highlights of Georgia's political reckoning is the new found awareness of the power wielded by AAPI voters. Although they represent only 4% of registered voters their votes are being aggressively sought by the candidates and the major parties.

Instrumental in educating and stirring up excitement about the vote is the grassroots efforts by AAPI advocacy agencies. 

Impact, a national political action committee, has put in $2.5 million in advertising -- mostly online and television -- to get out the South Asian voters, representing the largest AAPI group in the state.

"This is the first election I ever remember where it's not even one time a day, it's 20 emails a day, 10 texts or calls. It's overwhelming," Nikkei Asia quotes Angela Hsu, president of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association. "I don't think either party has focused on Asian Americans because Asian Americans [previously] didn't vote."

"What's compelling about this is that we actually voted" on Nov. 3, she said, "and now they're paying attention."

Groups like Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta are using their resources in sending out information in several Asian languages including Tagalog, Vietnamese, Hindi and Chinese.

Volunteers from Asian American Advocacy Fund, AAAJ and other local communitiy groups are going door-to-doo, staging texting and phone banks to get out the AAPI vote

Here are some of the commercials directed at Georgia's AAPI voters.

Georgia's polls remain open for a few more hours until 7 p.m. The Republican office holders have tried to dampen the vote turnout by limiting the number of polling places, especially in those communities where large numbers of AAPI reside. Get in line by 7 p.m. and poll officials are supposed to allow you to vote even when the deadline passes.

VOTE!