Uncertainty Among Latino Voters

Latinos don’t vote as a block, making their vote unpredictable and split amongst the two parties. Photo Credit: Leila Alarcon

More Latinos are eligible to vote in the 2024 election, with a projected 36.2 million eligible voters, according to the Pew Research Center. However, some Latino voters are still undecided.

“I am planning on voting, but I am not sure for which exact candidate yet. I'm not as informed, so that's sort of demotivating me from voting because I am not sure who to vote for,” Andrea Gallardo, a healthcare administration major at Cal State Long Beach, said.

Many of these voters are unaware, termed ‘double haters,’ while some are simply not interested in partaking in elections. According to an article by Ashley Parker for The Washington Post, “These double haters are likely to prove a critical voting bloc in November. They are a group that could help determine the outcome in a close election… and one that has become the focus of considerable attention and outreach from both campaigns.”

“As a member of the Hispanic/Latino community, I probably would vote for the Green Party just because it is neutral and it's easy to vote for,” Gallardo said.

California is primarily a Democratic state with a large population of Latino residents who mostly lean Democratic. According to the Pew Research Center, Latinos favor Democrats at 60%, while Republicans make up about 34% or even higher, according to some recent polls.

Uninformed decisions could lead to unwanted issues for the current and future Latino community.

Teresa Wright, a political science professor, suggests that students read up on the policies of each candidate to see which resonates better with their beliefs.

“Oftentimes, we get focused on personality and things like that. Those can be important factors, but I think what’s most important is what these people are going to do when they're in office. What they say they want to do, is that what you would like to see happen?” Wright said.

Besides presidential elections, Wright suggests students read about candidates at the federal, state and local levels, as voting at different office levels is the best way to get involved.

“I think you could just go to the websites of the two major political parties, either national or at the state level, and read it. Take five or 10 minutes. It could help not just for president, but for Senate and other political offices,” Wright said.

Alternately, many young Latino voters support Kamala Harris and are confident in who they will give their vote to in this upcoming election.

“Yes, I am going to vote. As of right now I am voting for Harris,” Arianna Montano, a liberal studies major at CSULB, said. “I believe she has better policies regarding women’s reproductive rights.”

The Latino vote will have a significant impact in this upcoming election, so read up on each party’s policies to make the best informed vote.