Study: Minority voters lack influence over political process.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ Asian-American, Latino and African-American voters are often excluded from the political process because they generally are not large campaign contributors, according to a report released by Civil Rights groups Thursday.

"What we've learned is, often our votes don't make any difference because we don't have money," said Eva Paterson, executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, a San Francisco organization that co-sponsored the study with other national groups.

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But in the ethnically diverse and politically well-connected Silicon Valley, some disputed that conclusion.

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