Wellstone Action!

posted by Ellie McDonnell

NOVEMBER 14, 2008

In discussing the surge of participation by different demographic groups in this election, it is easy for the enormous increase in Latino civic participation to get lost in the shuffle.  However, it was one of the important ones, and crucial in the outcome of the election.  This election year saw a huge surge in new Latino voters: An estimated 28% of all Latino voters were new voters, compared to 12% in the  general population, according to the Associated Press.                                                                                       

And 76% these new voters went for Obama, rolling back the progress that Bush made with Latino voters in the last two elections.  This had a huge impact in Obama's winning key battleground states in the West, such as New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada, all of which went to Bush in 2004.  In these states, Obama would not have won without the Latino vote, and while the Latino vote increased from 7% to 9%  of the electorate nationwide, in Colorado it increased from 8% of the electorate in 2004 to 13% in 2004.

Photo courtesy of Democracia USA

The Latino community in the United States is old and well-established, and it would be incorrect to categorize it as a community of immigrants. However, many newly naturalized citizens are Latino.   When so much of the discourse on immigration is focused on undocumented immigrants, it is easy to overlook the impact that civically engaged new citizens are having on their new country, within the democratic process.            

Organizations such as Voto Latino, Democracia USA, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) hit the streets hard this election year to register new citizens to vote, and then get them to the polls.  These organizations realize the potential power of new Latino voters, new Latino citizens, and new citizens of all origins, to make their voices heard in Washington.  On November 5, that power was harnessed to amazing effect.

An exit poll by the ICIRR found that new Latino and Asian voters in Illinois voted overwhelmingly for Obama.  While like most Americans they listed the Economy and Education as top concerns, they also cited immigration reform, a pressing issue that was largely ignored this election cycle due to the economic crisis.  Come the midterm elections, politicians will have to take a new look at the issues important to these voters.