During a time that has brought the shock of the Uvalde mass shooting, restrictions on reproductive rights, and climate-related disasters, a large national poll of Latino voters found that their priorities have experienced a significant shift. For example, abortion is now among the top five issues for Latino voters for the first time ever. Worries about gun violence and crime, healthcare and abortion are rising dramatically. Jobs and the rising cost of living, as in the past, also remain priorities.
As the second-largest group of voting-age Americans, with many not solidly aligned with either party, Latino voters can be a powerful and stabilizing force in American politics. But misconceptions about this diverse and multiracial voting community persist. This has led to ineffective engagement with these voters, who already face increasing obstacles on the path to the voting booth.
Attempts to put Latino voters in an “either/or” box have consistently led to oversimplifications and mistaken assumptions about this community. The poll released by our organizations provides a trove of new data to show the nuanced views too often ignored in politics.
