Growing Clout: The Power of the Latino Vote

The Latino vote has become a pivotal factor for many political candidates, including the presidency. As the November elections loom closer, parties and candidates are reaching out to the Latino community in ever growing numbers. Estimates from the U.S. Census and the rapid expansion of the population have created a tidal wave of activities aimed at attracting the Hispanic vote across the nation. Since 1990, 1.5 million Latinos have naturalized. There are 6.6 million registered Latino voters across the nation. In California, Texas, Florida, Illinois and New York, five key electoral states, Latinos have emerged as powerful allies for candidates seeking office.

Like any voting group, Latinos are not easily categorized and voting patterns neatly generalized. However, several major factors play out as key decision-making variables: one's point of origin, length of time in United States, and income levels. Although Latinos share a common history of Spanish colonialism and similar nation building, they differ in political processes and agendas. Despite having citizenship, Puerto Ricans can vote in a presidential election only if they live on the mainland and establish residency. Cuban-Americans are concentrated in South Florida and tend to be conservative. Mexican-American voting patterns are very issue-oriented, divided according to income levels and generation.

Nevertheless, according to studies and polls by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project; the Public Broadcast Latino Poll 2000; the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, and the National Hispanic Council on Aging, the problem for Latinos this upcoming fall is voter turnout. Although they are registered to vote, for the mobilization of a large Latino turnout at the polls, it requires a point of unification around which they can latch on to. This election year and according to the same polls mentioned above, the hot issues unifying Latinos this year include education; racism and prejudice; economic empowerment access; and English-language acquisition. Moreover, in two of the studies, respondents also favored stronger gun control laws, greater access to quality health insurance, and penalties for companies polluting the environment.