Washington, August 28: Indian-American voters are displaying significant enthusiasm for the upcoming midterm elections in the United States, with a noticeable inclination towards Democratic candidates, according to a recent survey.
The 2026 Asian American Voter Survey reveals that 92% of registered Indian-American voters plan to cast their ballots in November. Among them, 74% are certain they will vote, while 23% feel fairly confident about participating.
The survey indicates that excitement among Indian-Americans has surged compared to other Asian communities. About 43% reported feeling more enthusiastic than usual, while 22% expressed less enthusiasm, and 32% said their excitement remains unchanged.
In the Senate race, 66% of Indian-American voters support Democratic candidates, compared to 22% for Republicans and 7% for other parties. Support for Senate candidates ranges from 42% among Filipino voters to 66% among Indian-American voters.
In the House race, 66% of Indian-Americans back Democratic candidates, while 18% favor Republicans and 9% support other parties. Among those expressing a preference, 60% stated they strongly support their chosen candidates.
The survey found that 74% of Indian-American voters disapprove of Trump, with 56% stating they have a strong dislike for him. Only 20% expressed approval, including 7% who like him a lot and 13% who somewhat like him.
Indian-Americans prefer to vote in person compared to other major Asian-American groups. About 55% plan to vote at polling booths, while 34% prefer mail-in voting, and 8% intend to use ballot drop-off locations.
Three-quarters of Indian-Americans reported discussing politics with family or friends over the past year. Additionally, 19% participated in protests, marches, or rallies, while 20% attended local government meetings, such as city council or school board sessions.
The survey indicates that 90% of registered Asian-American and Pacific Islander voters plan to participate in the midterms, a rise from 84% in 2022 and 86% in 2018.
Overall, Democrats lead among voters, with 60% supporting Democratic candidates in the Senate and 64% in the House, while Republicans garnered 24% and 22%, respectively.
Cost of living and inflation emerged as the most pressing issues, with 90% of Asian-American voters deeming them very or extremely important in their voting decisions.
Conducted among 2,066 registered voters, the survey included 1,896 Asian-Americans and 170 Pacific Islanders, with 242 Indian-Americans represented. The Senate preference data is based on responses from 148 Indian-Americans.
Interviews were conducted between June 3 and July 27 through telephone, web, and online recruitment. The survey employed sampling quotas based on ethnicity and weighting based on voter characteristics.
Midterm elections in the U.S. occur halfway through the presidential term, involving all 435 House seats and nearly one-third of Senate seats, making it a crucial test of support for the ruling party.
This survey was conducted by the Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote and AAPI Data. These groups estimate that 16 million Asian-American and Pacific Islander citizens will be eligible to vote in 2026, including 1.6 million who became eligible after 2022.
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