Civic/Political
» According to the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, approximately 9 million Latinos/as will be registered to vote in the 2000 Presidential Elections and will compose a powerful force in the seven states that account for 77% of the electoral votes.
The Almanac of Latino Politics 2000,
by J. Andrade, and A. Hernandez, 1999,
The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, p. 19. 

Latino Voting Trends in the 1996 Presidential Election

State

Democrat

Republican

California

70%

22%

Arizona

82%

15%

New Mexico

65%

28%

Texas

75%

17%

Colorado

85%

12%

New York

86%

10%

Florida

42%

46%

New Jersey

78%

14%


From the Voter News Service Exit Polls
Cited in The Almanac of Latino Politics 2000,
by J. Andrade, and A. Hernandez, 1999,
The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, p. 15.

» Of the 20 U.S. congressional districts in which Latinos/as account for 50% or more of the population, a Latino/a represents 17.  All Latinos/as elected to Congress except for one (Robert Menendez [D] from New Jersey) represent Latino dominant districts. Never has a Latino/a been elected to the U.S. Congress from a predominantly non-Hispanic white district.
The Almanac of Latino Politics 2000,
by J. Andrade, and A. Hernandez, 1999,
The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, p. 23.

Latino Voting Patterns in Congressional Elections
1994-1998

Year

Democrat

Republican

1994

60%

40%

1996

75%

25%

1998

61%

37%

From the Network and Newspaper Exit Polls 1994-1998
Cited in The Almanac of Latino Politics 2000,
by J. Andrade, and A. Hernandez, 1999,
The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, p. 16.

 

Latino Voting on Issue Propositions in California
1994-1998

Propositions

Yes

No

187 (1994) Deny State Benefits to Undocumented Immigrants

22%

78%

209 (1996) Abolish Affirmative Action

30%

70%

226 (1998) Limit Union Campaign Contributions

25%

75%

227 (1998) Abolish Bilingual Education

37%

63%

From the Network Exit Polls
The Almanac of Latino Politics 2000,
by J. Andrade, and A. Hernandez, 1999,
The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, p. 18. 

1996 Latino Voter Profile

Gender

Male

45%

Female

55%

Age

18-34

32%

35-54

40%

55+

28%

Educational Attainment

High School Graduate or less

55%

Some College

29%

College Graduate or More

16%

Household Income

Under 35,000

35%

35,000-74,999

34%

Over 75,000

13%

Employment Status

Employed

67%

Unemployed

3%

Not in Labor Force

30%

Homeownership

Homeowners

66%

Renters

34%

Marital Status*

Currently Married

57%

Not Married

43%

Union Member in Household*

Union Household

30%

Non Union Household

70%

Religious Preference*

Catholic

66%

Protestant/Other Christian

24%

Something Else or None

9%

Gun Ownership*

Owns Gun

24%

Does Not Own Gun

76%

From the Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Elections of November 1996
and *1996 Voter News Service Exit Poll*
Cited in The Almanac of Latino Politics 2000,
by J. Andrade, and A. Hernandez, 1999,
The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, pp. 13-14.

Statistics