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Latinx voters account for half of all newly eligible voters this election, which will put on display their growing political power. Latinas — who vote at higher rates than Latinx voters overall, who tend to hold an influential role in their families and their communities, and who skew younger than the American electorate — will play a decisive role in the race for the presidency, control of Congress and the fate of state-level abortion policies.
“If Latinos are the X factor in politics and society, Latinas are the X to the second power,” said Stephanie Valencia, who studies Latinx voters at the research firm Equis. “Latinas really do sit at this really important position of power.”
Nowhere will their influence be as palpable as in Arizona and Nevada, where Latinas represent 1 in 5 women voters, and where Latinx voters make up a quarter and a fifth of the electorate, respectively. The path to the White House may well run through these states, which also feature two key Senate races and two ballot measures to guarantee abortion rights in their borders.
The 19th spoke to more than two dozen experts and close to 100 voters, in both Spanish and English, to understand how key issues are driving Latinas’ political decisions, including who to vote for and whether to vote at all. That included going door-knocking, showing up at organizing events and attending a Catholic Mass across Arizona and Nevada to reach voters where they are.
In Tucson, we spent some time with a Latina college student who is among the 4 million newly eligible Latinx voters and whose experience with gun violence on campus has made this her top political issue. That issue-driven enthusiasm has rippled across her nuclear family. In Las Vegas, we homed in on a mom of three young girls who hasn’t decided who she is going to vote for but whose challenges finding an affordable rental home have her questioning what to do at the ballot box. In Phoenix, we connected with a series of Latina voters whose complex views on the reproductive rights ballot measure are driving their political decisions — from volunteering for the ballot measure to sitting out the election.
On the road to November, The 19th set out to center our election coverage around the voters who would ultimately help decide the outcome of this election, including Latinas. In this series of stories, you’ll hear directly from them.
Arizona’s ballot measure could shift the narrative on Latinas and abortion
Their growing political power of Latinas has the potential to reshape abortion access in Arizona— and challenge assumptions about their experiences and faiths. Read the full story .
A campus shooting spurred her political awakening. Her whole family followed.
Addressing gun violence is a top concern for many Latinas — including Adriana Grijalva, who felt she had to do something after a fatal shooting at the University of Arizona. Read the full story .
A move in search of affordable housing came with more political power. Now what?
Jasmine Lopez wants to vote, but political disillusionment and economic pressures are complicating her decision in a key swing state. Read the full story .
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