Number of Latino voters hits record high, study says


The number of eligible Latino voters has leapt from 19.5 million in 2008 to an unprecedented 23.7 million nationally, according to a recently released report by the Pew Research Center.

Data from the Pew Hispanic Center’s Census Bureau show that Latinos now hold a greater share of eligible voters at 11 percent, as compared to 9.5 percent in 2008.

Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States. In 2011, the 51.9 million Latinos in the nation made up 16.7 percent of the American population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

This record number, however, will not mean much if it is not followed by a higher turnout rate, according to Roberto Suro, a professor of journalism with expertise in Latino public opinion and U.S. Hispanic population growth.

“The growth in the number of voters doesn’t mean that much. This is a growing population. That number has been growing consistently for many years and will continue for many more,” Suro said. “The real question here is not how many are eligible, but how many people actually turn out.”

According to the Pew report, the turnout rate of eligible Latino voters has “historically lagged that of whites and blacks by substantial margins.” In the 2008 election, 50 percent of Latino voters cast their ballots, significantly lower than the 65 percent of blacks and 66 percent of whites who turned out four years ago.

But Suro said change might be on the horizon.

“The number has been rising in the past few elections, and the question is, will the trend continue? Will we see greater participation by eligible voters in this election?” Suro said. “This is very important for the Democrats in particular because we know this vote tilts very heavily toward Democratic.”

Bringing naturalized citizens into the picture, the Center for the Study of Immigration Integration at USC recently released “Rock the (Naturalized) Vote,” a report that suggests naturalized immigrants in the Latino community might be critical as the election draws near. This demographic could be crucial to the election not only because it is the group with most room for improvement in registration rates, but also because the recently naturalized are the most sensitive to immigration concerns.

“In the past, naturalized voters, particularly for their first election, have high turnout rates,” Suro said. “It’s their first chance to vote and they tend to use the franchise when they’ve got the chance. This is a relatively newly naturalized population, so a high turnout is expected.”

Despite this record increase and rapid population growth, Latinos still make up a smaller part of the electorate. The Center for Immigration Studies, however, found that though Latino voter share varies in the 18 battleground states,;in four of the states — New Mexico, Florida, Nevada and Arizona — they will be “more than 16 percent of the vote” in the next election.

“Looking at the presidential race, Latinos only have presence in a few swing states — among them Florida, Nevada and Colorado,” Suro said.  “They have different types of Latino populations, but in those places, all three remain important swing states.”

As the Latino population in the United States continues to expand, native-born citizens are aging in large numbers in the electorate. Young adults, however, tend to vote less often than older adults, according to Suro. Looking into the upcoming elections, the participation of young adults “becomes a very important question politically this year,” Suro predicted.

On campus, the overall  atmosphere reflects the newly charged political attitude of the youth. El Centro Chicano, an on-campus support and resource center for Latino students and their families, strives to boost political awareness among young Latino adults. El Centro Chicano will host a Leadership Development and Skill-Building series Tuesday where speakers will share experiences regarding the importance of voting and being politically aware.

Carolina Varela, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering who is involved with the organization, believes that the number of Latino voters is crucial to the election.

“I think it’s a step forward and it signifies that we, as a community, just have to encourage people, now that they’re registered, to do research, look into voting and finally go cast ballots,” Varela said.

Though it remains unclear whether the record-breaking 24 million eligible Latino voters will boost overall election turnout, Varela said the number in itself is significant to the future of the Latino community across the nation.

“We haven’t had a history of having a voice, and now that these leaders here at the university are encouraging people to go out there and vote, it’s definitely something that will help our community,” she said. “This generation of Latinos is ready to speak up and be a part of the voting process.”

3 replies
  1. Ali
    Ali says:

    “We haven’t had a history of having a voice, and now that these leaders here at the university are encouraging people to go out there and vote, it’s definitely something that will help our community.”
    ————–And just what “community” is that? Latinos? Or ALL AMERICANS? If the former, don’t be surprised that Americans in general will oppose amnesty and any such attempts to expand the “Latino vote”.

  2. Jax4usc
    Jax4usc says:

    Gee, David. I was going to post my protest to the growing hispanic invasion, but you took the words right out of my mouth and added a good thought or two.

    Fight On

    JLH

  3. David Francis
    David Francis says:

    ARE we just going to keep on importing more and more wretched poverty, stifling the honest immigrants that wait patiently for years on our doorstep? Is the U.S government ignored for decades a need for tracking visitors, or even intentionally cutting off funds for constructing the real double layer fence at the border, committed by the George Bush presidency under the 2006 secure Fence act. I often wonder if there is some secret pact between those authorities south of the border and our own agencies, which we will accept a certain amount of their desperate illegal migrants, to proliferate for farming and corporate entities. This is self evident when the majority Liberal Sacramento assembly, wants to give some form of feigned identification that the police will have to deal with? The voters in the “Sanctuary State” should be well aware, that in Los Angeles especially they are pressing for more money for education in their Proposition 30, because the schools are clogged with the children of illegal aliens and taxpayers are expected to pay?

    A WARNING THAT IF PRESIDENT OBAMA IS VOTED INTO THE OVAL OFFICE AGAIN, WITHOUT ANY FEAR OF CONTRADICTION HE WILL COMMITT HIMSELF AND HIS LIBERAL CZARS TO MIND BUCKLING COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM. AN ANOTHER MASS AMNESTY THAT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION STATES THROUGH THEIR STATISTICAL RESEARCH WILL COST TAXPAYERS OVER 2 TRILLION DOLLARS TO PROCESS AND COMPLETE. NOT JUST A DREAM ACT WITH 3/4 OF A MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT AN OFFERING OF A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR AN ESTIMATED 20 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS AND COUNTING. JUST THE TEA PARTY STANDS IN THE WAY OF ANOTHER TRAVESTY OF OUR IMMIGRATIONENFORCEMENT OF THE 1986 BILL.

    UNLESS OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS ARE REALLY ENFORCED, SUCH AS A FELONY, THE UNCEASING FLOW OF ILLEGAL ALIENS WILL NEVER STOP.

    WE have Obama’s Department of Justice continuously attacking states as Arizona, because they can least afford the hundreds of millions of dollars states are forced by the courts to pay for free medical care, education for the children of illegal aliens throughout this country. Hundreds of billions of dollars are literary extracted from taxpayer’s pockets, to pay for illegal aliens stealing into America with unborn babies to pay for their delivery, their education and public welfare cash payments.

    The TEA PARTY “THE PEOPLES PARTY” has stepped up to the plate. The TEA PARTY OF ALL RELIGIOUS DENOMINATION, EVERY CLASS, EVERY RACE ARE FED UP AND FRUSTRATED WITH THESE FREE GIVEAWAYS. NOW AN ESTIMATED 41 MILLION TEA PARTY MEMBERS AND STILL GATHERING STEAM AND ARE OPENLY FLOWING INTO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND ARE READY TO TACKLE THE CORRUPTION IN BOTH PARTIES.

    ODDLY ENOUGH THE LIBERAL JOURNALISTS IN THE MAINSTREAM PRESS THINK THE WHOLE MOVEMENT HAS DISSOLVED, AFTER THE MASSIVE CROWD THAT OVERWELMED WASHINGTON DC SOME YEARS AGO. WE ARE STILL HERE AND WILL BE CAREFULLY WATCHING THE VOTING PUBLIC IN NOVEMBER. WHEN 71 PERCENT OF LEGAL HISPANICS HAVE STATED THEY WANT PHOTO ID’s SHOULD SHOWN, TO PROOF WHO THEY ARE ACCORDING TO THE PEW HISPANIC CENTER.

    The children of illegal aliens have been unaware of their status, caused by their criminal parents entering our country? The Mother should be held responsible and deported as they have cost for decades record amounts of taxpayers’ money. SO UNLESS A SIMPLE CHANGE TO 14th AMENDMENT IS IMPOSED, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO OUR OWN POOR, OUR OWN HOMELESS OUR OWN CITIZENS, INSTEAD OF BEING APPROPRIATED TO PAY FOR ILLEGAL ALIEN WELFARE.

    Today there has been a remedy for them through President Obama’s executive preference, although it should have been voted on in the Congress. This inconceivable problem will never go away and will indeed get far worse unless Congress enacts the BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BILL. It is highly controversial and unless an amendment is forthcoming, the state treasuries will be forever drained. Pregnant mothers coming here with the deliberate plan to have their child on welfare and the hundreds of Billions of dollars extracted by inept federal laws of that says children born here automatically receive citizenship. The illegal alien parent is feeding from the welfare trough, without ever paying a cent into the fund. This can only escalate further as President Obama is encouraging illegal immigrants and migrants to come, by delivering free food stamps without any restrictions. Just look at California, THE SANCTUARY CITY STATE” Where Los Angeles city Administrator gave out the latest payout of the children of illegal alien parents. Two months and a hundred sixty million dollars later and now Los Angeles is pushing for another tax hike. This is incredulous-to let our lousy, incompetent federal government pay for all these illegal aliens in this border state. NO WONDER CALIFORNIA IS IN A DOWNWARD FISCAL SPIN?

    Only the enactment to this amendment can stop this problem by making it official that only the children of at least one parent being a U.S. citizen. Also waiting for a vote in the House is mandatory E-verify “THE LEGAL WORKFORCE ACT” law to halt illegal aliens taking citizens and lawful resident’s jobs. Why this law remains dormant to show how many the politicians care about the legal workers, although this law has been carefully hidden from site by none other than Democrat majority leader Harry Reid. Why with 8.1 percent of Americans are jobless, why either the House or Senate refuses to bringing either of these laws to the HOUSE AND SENATE CHAMBERS.

    Obviously the 47 percent mainstream Liberal-Communist-Marxist progressives will provide the ammunition to attack Romney, but they will stay silent about the pandering to the “Freeloaders” the scroungers, parasites and illegal aliens who live off the rest of us. Not forgetting that many in the percentage are the infirm, sick and handicapped that needs a helping hand.

    As the TEA PARTY.ORG STATE and you should read the evidence to support it:

    Why both Democrats and Republicans are are afraid of getting tough and both are refusing to protect our Constitution. They want to play it safe, not ruffle any feathers and play dumb when it comes to what made our nation great and what keeps it great. How many times have you asked yourself: WHERE ARE THEY? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? They sit silent, do nothing. Too much of the Republican Party is run by knuckle-dragging Neanderthals practicing caveman politics while the Democrat’s ranks are filled with liberal-Marxist progressives practicing global communism.

    What’s America to do? It is very simple: All law abiding citizen be the resistance. Oust Obama now.

    News Flash: The values embedded in our Constitution come right out of the Bible, reinforced by the will to be a free people. The Tea Party knows it and that is what makes us so dangerous to the Obama and his collection of Liberal Progressives and Kool-Aid drinking Republicans.

    Think I’m kidding? Listen up, this week Senator Harry Reid of Nevada sent out an urgent plead for money saying:

    “I don’t want to wake up on November 7th wishing I could have done more to prevent a Tea Party takeover of Congress.”

    It’s no wonder Senator, when you have just about killed every new bill to pass through the Congress. You even crippled E-Verify, which would achieve removing hundreds of thousands or even millions of illegal workers and opening the closed doors for citizens and legal residents.

    As I read his plea I realized he wasn’t fearful of Islamic terrorists on a Jihad, flying planes into buildings—or even another ambassador being savagely dragged out of a U.S. Embassy to be burned alive in the name of a false God.

    Nor was Senator Harry Reid worried about Wall Street crashing or the dollar becoming worthless.

    Our country is going to hell in a hand basket, the Middle East is burning our flag in effigy and bad seed Reid fears…a Tea Party takeover.

    Of all the lame-brained, half-assed ideas, Harry Reid, this takes the cake.

    For a U.S. Senator to be alarmed of the very people who believe in preserving America is downright insanity. Absolutely ludicrous! Around 41 million average American, young, old, different religious persuasion and diverse class of people who are black, white, Hispanic and all races.

    Reid actually believes the Tea Party is more dangerous to President Obama and the liberal progressives, than all the murdering terrorists combined? Let me put this a little more succinctly:

    In the eyes of a leftist, an 81-year old grandma with a cardboard sign is more lethal than a crazed terrorist zealot with a machete whose sole intent is to murder. The Obama administration will not even call these fanatics “Terrorists” or murderers, even after the Twin Towers massacre of 9/11?

    Why would Reid believe that?

    Because the Tea Party believes in everything he and his cronies do not as they have proven again and again these past four years:
    Pledging allegiance to the U.S. Flag, not burning it; Honoring the Constitution, not destroying it; Voting for God and not voting God out; Legal immigration not the illegal alien invasion; Fiscal responsibility, not spend-a-holic politics.

    • Make sense now? We are in a war to save our American heritage! If the Obama Czars were to get their way, they would erase our heritage and rewrite it to reflect their poison values and their twisted idea of what America should be: a socialist regime.

    If the Global Communist Obama Czars were to grab America they would:
    • Burn all American heritage books; Destroy the red, white and blue;
    • Shred the U.S. Constitution; Defund and disband our military;
    • Eliminate free speech; Takeaway our guns.
    America is in deep trouble
    We’re on the Highway to a disaster,
    Careening Out of Control!
    • The only true hope for America is a Tea Party takeover so we can put America back on course and stop the caveman politics, global communist takeover and the tom-foolery in Washington!

    I hope you get what I am saying here. The world is falling apart because America is falling apart. Islamic terrorists smell the weakness in Obama—and they will take advantage to strike. The coming year the new president could face:

    • World holy war; Crash of the dollar; Wall Street failures; Unemployment hitting astronomical highs; Work force denigration; Nuclear War in the making.
    It is up to the backbone of America to give US Citizens their dreams back and that backbone is YOU!

    Resurgence of Liberty means the removal of global communism that is poisoning the blood stream of America and to restore our great heritage. No longer can we allow America to decay—the Tea Party must be the resistance.

    No longer can we afford to sit in a circle and sing Kum-ba-yah. We must join forces and tell them “GET OUT, YOU’RE FIRED!”
    Be The Resistance
    The Tea Party must be a positive force for America. We must turn…..
    • Return decay into growth; Immorality into wholesome traditional values; Sick spiritually into Judeo/Christian values; Political ineptness into conservative government;
    • Economic disaster into thriving free-enterprise; fallen world stature into world leader.
    How can we do this? Where does it start? Who shall be the leader? A Tea Party takeover must start with “We the People.” YOU are America’s greatest asset! This is what I am asking you to do. It won’t cost you a thing, but if only a few do this it could cost us our beloved nation. Are you ready? I am going to ask you to spread the word. It is that simple—just send this email to your friends. Give them the chance to save America, to step-up and say: “I’m with you. You can count on me!” It makes no difference if they are a member of some other organization or whether you think they’ll read this email or not. It is the only way that I know to build bulk to our movement.

    Yes, we are millions strong, but in order for us to accomplish a complete and thorough take back and takeover of America we need tens of millions more to join the ranks—now. This is where you come in. Do you love your freedom enough to send this email to a few of your friends? Are you as mad as hell and not going to take it anymore? Say it now, “YES! YOU CAN COUNT ON ME!”

    Now is the time, here is the plan, but only you can be the leader and take the action. Go to TEA PARTY.ORG and gain more evidence and make your own judgment?

    Maybe you are too scared to step up and be counted. If so, I urge you to remember: The Obama zealots are demanding America get on her knees and kiss the rear of 3rd world countries begging for their forgiveness. They demand the U.S. apologize for our greatness and wallow in pity. The Washington Pharisees demand the U.S. repent for our sin of being too great, having too much, and giving too much. If the Obama Liberal Czars progressives grab America they will demand “We the People” plead for the world’s mercy, promise America will never be exceptional again.

    As you read this email the Washington scallywags are seeking foolish guidance from the 3rd world leaders and bowing to all banana republic potentates. You know I’m telling the truth, because you have seen the photos.

    You understand if the Tea Party fails the liberal progressives will demand and get America to:
    • Disarm; Throw open our borders; Delete our heritage; Lose our exceptionalism. KEEP PRESSING FOR THE OBHORRANT “Political Correctness”.

    The world will demand our nation be divided, property seized for the greater good, the rich stripped of their wealth and dignity and some prosecuted for their open use of the free enterprise system. The media will be exalted into King-makers as wise sages of truth and world guidance. Heaven help us all. That’s not the world I want and I WILL RESIST, but will you? Are you with US? Can we count on you to vote against a President with irregularities in his past? I just have no idea what to think, but something stinks about Barack Obama and generally I am not a person who resorts to conspiracy theorists?

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