
According to a report issued by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York’s Center for Latino American, Caribbean and Latino Studies (CLACLS), the southwestern states of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico account for 25% of all Latinos living in the United States, as well as 25% of all eligible Latino voters as of 2014. However, the report shows low voter registration and participation rates.
For example, here are Texas’ Latino voting patterns from 1996 – 2016:
Key findings in the Southwestern states of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico include the following:
- A high percentage of potential Latino voters in Texas Latinos of Mexican-origin and were born in the U.S., thus eligible to vote. However, because of low registration and turnout rates, these voters are not exercising their potential political influence. CLACLS projects that Latinos will comprise 24 percent of all Texas voters in November 2016. This increase is due to demographic growth, not increased participation rates.
- Similar to Texas, Latinos of Mexican origin are a large percentage of eligible Latino voters. Arizona Latinos had very low voter registration rates at about 52 percent of all eligible Latino voters in 2008 and 2012. This is not expected to change in 2016. Because of these low registration rates, only 37% of eligible Latino voters actually voted in Arizona in 2008 and 40% in 2012. CLACLS projects that about 41% will vote in November 2016.
- Latinos in New Mexico both registered and voted at rates that were significantly above national averages.
You can read the entire report here:
For more information about this report, visit the CLACLS Latino Data Project.
True TEJANOS don’t vote…