The influence of candidate race and ethnicity: the case of Asian Americans

Do voters use the race or ethnicity of a candidate in selecting whom to support? This paper examines the voting behavior of Asian Americans in elections in California. The analysis hinges on co-partisan elections stemming from California's open primary system where two candidates from the same party compete, and thus a candidate's party no longer serves as a reliable cue for voters at the ballot box. Using surname matched vote returns for seven state assembly and two congressional elections between 2012 and 2018, I find evidence of bloc voting in every race where an Asian American candidate is pitted against a non-Asian. When Asian candidates compete, however, evidence of polarization at the national origin level is found. The findings have theoretical implications for understanding the dynamics of co-ethnicity and descriptive representation for Asian Americans, as well as practical implications for the study of elections and minority voting rights.