In preparation for the 2015 general elections and 2016 presidential and congressional elections, ACDC received funding from the Coulter Foundation to increase voter registration and voter education in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. We worked with South Cove Community Health Center, Quincy Asian Resources Inc., Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, the Chinese Progressive Association, and the Patriot Ledger to sponsor a Quincy candidates forum for mayoral and city councilor-at-large candidates. The forum had simultaneous Mandarin and Cantonese translation to encourage attendance by the Asian community, which comprise over 25% of Quincy’s population. Education, infrastructure, affordable housing and supporting the significant immigrant and Asian population were some of the topics addressed by the candidates. More than 200 community members attended.

In addition to the candidates’ forum, we also organized a Get-Out-The Vote phonebanking campaign with Quincy Asian Resources Inc. and Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center.  Our staff and volunteers made a combined 3,116 phone calls targeting registered Asian voters in Quincy.

The election also resulted in the first Asian American City Councillor in Quincy!