The impact of the 2004 elections on Asian Americans, the struggles of Native Hawaiians after the elections and the changing face of politics in Texas are examined in the 2005–06 National Asian Pacific American Political Almanac.

The almanac also documents the continuously growing numbers of Asian Pacific American elected and major appointed officials. It includes a listing of more than 2,000 Asian Pacific American elected and major appointed officials at the federal, state and local levels for more than 35 different states from Hawaii to Connecticut, as well as the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam and the Mariana Islands.

The UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies compiled the 12th Edition of the almanac. The publication is intended to provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of practical information, empirical research and policy perspectives on the electoral involvement of the nation's Asian Pacific American population in American politics.

Since its initial publication in 1976, the almanac has been an indispensable reference guide for students, community leaders, elected officials, researchers, journalists and others interested in the growing presence of Asian Pacific Americans in electoral politics.

"The Asian Pacific American population, which has grown rapidly during the past four decades to nearly 12 million nationwide, is building a viable, multifaceted political infrastructure that will have an increasingly decisive impact on American politics throughout the 21st century," said Don Nakanishi, director of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the almanac's co-editor. "As voters, as donors, as public policy advocates and as elected officials, Asian Pacific Americans seek to no longer remain as spectators to the parade of politics, or as vulnerable victims of partisan power struggles."

"Instead they are striving to become more organized, more visible and more effective as participants and leaders in order to advance -- as well as to protect -- their individual and group interests, and to contribute to our nation's democratic processes and institutions," Nakanishi said.

The edition also features the latest census data on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders by ethnic group and those of more than one race, as well as a national directory of Asian American and Pacific Islander political, civil rights, advocacy and legal organizations.

"Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies is honored to be partnering with UCLA on this extremely useful almanac," said Daphne Kwok, executive director of the institute. "We get calls all the time from the public asking us how many Asian Pacific American elected officials are there, where are they, how to contact them. We always refer them to the Political Almanac. And through our research we have been able to identify more and more Asian and Pacific Islander American elected officials all throughout this country."

The almanac is dedicated to Robert Matsui, who served on the Sacramento City Council and the U.S. House of Representatives for more than 30 years. Matsui played a major role in the passage of the 1988 Civil Liberties and Public Education Act, which led to a formal national apology and monetary reparations for the World War II incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans. He also was a high-ranking official in the Democratic Party and a champion of Social Security.

The National Political Almanac was sponsored with a grant from SBC. The almanac was co-edited by Nakanishi, Kwok and James S. Lai, assistant professor of political science and ethnic studies at Santa Clara (Calif.) University.

The 12th Edition of the National Asian Pacific American Political Almanac (ISBN: 0-934052-40-9) can be purchased for $20, plus $4 shipping and handling; California residents add 8.25 percent sales tax. Bulk rates also are available.

Mail orders can be sent to UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press, 3230 Campbell Hall, Box 951546, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1546. Make checks payable to UC Regents. Visa, MasterCard and Discover cards also are accepted; include account number, expiration date and a phone number. For more information, please call (310) 825?2968 or e-mail aascpress@aasc.ucla.edu.

Mail orders also can be sent to Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 835, Washington, D.C. 20036. Make checks payable to APAICS. The institute can be reached at (202) 296-9200 or by e-mail at apaics@apaics.org.