Guess What Matters Most to US Latino Voters in These Midterms?

By:
Nov 4, 2014
2:24 PM

An Election Eve poll of 4,914 U.S. Latino voters conducted by Latino Decisions and sponsored by America’s Voice and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is confirming what anyone who covers the U.S. Latino vote already knew: immigration is still the Latino electorate’s top issue and when it comes to party affiliation, U.S. Latino voters are coming out today to support the community first.

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This is part of the release we received this afternoon:

  • IMMIGRATION THE TOP ISSUE FACING THE LATINO COMMUNITY:  National: A plurality of 45% of Latino voters nationwide said immigration reform was the most important issue facing the Latino community that politicians should address; 34% ranked the economy or job creation first, while 21% mentioned education/schools, and 17% said health care. (For state by state results click here.)
  • LATINOS #1 REASON TO VOTE? TO SUPPORT THE LATINO COMMUNITY, NOT EITHER PARTY: A plurality of Latino voters nationwide, 37%, said they were voting in 2014 to “support the Latino community,” while 34% said they were voting to support the Democratic candidate and 16% said they were voting to support the Republican candidate. (For state by state results click here.)
  • TWO-THIRDS OF LATINOS SAY IMMIGRATION WAS THE MOST/ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN VOTING DECISIONS: A combined two-thirds of Latino voters nationwide (67%) said that the issue of immigration was either the most important issue in their decision to vote and their candidate preference (33% said “the most”) or “one of the important issues” (34%).  An additional 19% said immigration was “somewhat important” while only 9% said immigration was “not really important” to their voting decisions.  (For state by state results click here.)
  • 58% OF LATINO VOTERS NATIONWIDE KNOW AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT:Underscoring the personal relevance of the immigration debate for many respondents, 58% of Latino voters nationwide report knowing an undocumented immigrant, while 35% of Latino voters did not.   (For state by state results click here.)

If these results are an indication of where the U.S. Latino vote will lean after polls close tonight, then it will be a complex night to say the least.

More will be shared tonight and tomorrow at www.latinovote2014.com.