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Latinas and the 2008
Elections |
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As the nation’s
second largest
population group and
its fastest growing
electorate, Latinos
will play a pivotal
role in the 2008
elections. The
number of Latino
voters in
Presidential
contests has
increased
significantly during
the last two decades
– in 1992,4.2
million Latinos cast
ballots, compared to
7.6 million in 2004. |
Latinos
have also had a more meaningful
opportunity to determine the
outcome of the Presidential
primaries this year, as several
states with large Latino
populations moved their primary
or caucus dates early in the
election season.
Latinas have been at the
forefront of the Latino
community’s journey to full
political participation and
representation. They will be
critical players during Election
2008, as voters, as candidates,
as community organizers and as
the leaders of political
campaigns.
The number
of Latinas who turnout for our
nation’s Presidential elections
continues to grow. About 4.1
million voted in November 2004,
a 25% increase over the November
2000 turnout of 3.3 million. In
the last Presidential contest,
the registration rate of Latinas
was slightly higher than the
registration rate of male
Latinos – 60% of Latina U.S.
citizens were registered
compared to 56% of male Latinos.
While
Latinas have made significant
political progress, they are
still not yet fully engaged in
our electoral process. Of the
14.1 million Latina adults in
the United States, about
one-third (35%) are not yet U.S.
citizens. In November 2004, 40%
of Latina U.S. citizens were not
registered to vote, and 18% of
those registered did not cast
ballots in the election. Had
every eligible Latina registered
to vote and voted in the last
Presidential election, the
Latina turnout would have
increased by 4.2 million, and
the total Latino voter turnout
would have grown by 35%.
To help
ensure that Latinos and Latinas
nationwide have full access to
our democracy, an unprecedented
national civic engagement
campaign - ya es hora – has been
initiated to inform, educate and
motivate Latinos to participate
in America’s democracy. This
historic effort was launched in
Los Angeles in January of 2007
by Spanish-Language media
companies Entravision
Communications Corporation,
ImpreMedia, Univision
Communications Inc. and the
National Association of Latino
Elected and Appointed Officials
(NALEO) Educational Fund, the
National Council of La Raza
(NCLR) and SEIU. The campaign’s
first phase, ya es hora
ˇCiudadanía!, is focused on
helping legal permanent
residents across the United
States apply for U.S.
citizenship. The second phase of
the campaign, ya es hora ˇVe Y
Vota!, is focused on helping
eligible Latino U.S. citizens
participate in America’s
electoral process.
Since the
ya es hora !Ciudadania! campaign
started in January 2007 more
than one million immigrants have
applied for citizenship—a 59%
increase compared to the same
period in 2006. By the end of
the calendar year, we expect
that more than 1.4 million
immigrants will have applied for
U.S. citizenship in 2007. The
2007 dramatic increase in
citizenship applications is
proof that the immigrant
community is eager to
participate in U.S. civic life
and make its voice heard. The
campaign is unmatched by any
other Latino citizenship
campaign in U.S. history and has
been a critical drive behind the
increase in naturalization
applications.
The second
phase of the effort is ya es
hora Ve y Vota! (It’s Time, Go
Vote!), the non-partisan
national voter mobilization
stage of the campaign, will
build on the tremendous success
of the citizenship campaign.
Through an unprecedented
multi-media campaign that
encompasses grassroots, print
and broadcast outreach, the
campaign seeks to register new
voters and significantly
increase the number of Latinos
who turn out to the polls in
November. The 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota
hotline and
website—www.veyvota.org—will
provide voter information,
educational tools, and national
information on how to get to the
polls on Election Day.
With their
energy, optimism, and strong
record of effective leadership,
Latinas have the opportunity to
achieve new political milestones
in Election 2008. Their efforts
will transform this year’s
Presidential contest, and shape
the future of our democracy for
years to come. |
