Mayoral candidates woo Chinese American voters

On the bustling streets of San Francisco's Chinatown, campaign posters adorned with Chinese characters vie for attention alongside colorful shop signs and fruit stands. As the November elections draw near, candidates are intensifying their efforts to win over Chinese American voters, a crucial demographic in the city's political landscape.

San Francisco has the highest percentage of Chinese Americans among major US cities, with 22 percent of its population identifying as such. When considering the broader Asian American community, the figure rises to 37 percent, according to the latest data from the US Census Bureau.

"The candidates, whether for mayor or supervisors, all hope to get Chinese American voters' support because we have become an important voting bloc that they could not afford to ignore," Louis Lam, chairman of the American Teo Chew Business Association and a board member of the Chinatown nonprofit Chinese Newcomers Service Center, told China Daily.

The current mayoral race exemplifies the heightened focus on Chinese American voters. Incumbent Mayor London Breed, facing a challenging reelection bid, has seen her approval rate shift dramatically among this demographic, which played an important role in her previous election.

A poll conducted by the San Francisco Chronicle in February revealed that 80 percent of potential Asian voters disapprove of Breed's performance, and only 10 percent support her.

Recognizing the need to regain favor with Chinese American voters, the mayor has taken actions such as increasing the police budget, granting law enforcement more authority, addressing homeless encampments, and embarking on a trip to China in April.

Those efforts appear to be paying dividends. A recent Chronicle poll indicated that Breed's approval rating among Asian voters doubled over the past six months. The resurgence in support from the Asian and Chinese American communities has bolstered her standing in the mayoral race.

Main challenger

However, Breed's challengers are not ceding ground in the battle for Chinese American votes.

Former San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell, one of Breed's main rivals, recently secured a crucial endorsement from the San Francisco Chinese American Democratic Club — an organization that had backed Breed in her last mayoral campaign.

Farrell has been a frequent presence at community events in Chinatown, distributing Chinese language flyers and engaging with potential voters. His campaign platform emphasizes cracking down on street homelessness and drug use, issues that resonate strongly with many Chinese American residents.

The political engagement of San Francisco's Chinese American community has reached new heights, driven by several factors, said Lam, who attributed the surge to the community's increasing education levels and a growing awareness of their voting power.

Economic concerns and public safety issues remain at the forefront for many Chinese American voters. As Lam pointed out, a significant portion of the community consists of small and medium-sized business owners or working-class individuals who are acutely affected by the city's economic challenges and crime rate.