2014 State Turnout Projections for Latinos
Election 2014 State Turnout Projections and Overview of Latino Political Representation Released at NALEO 31st Annual Conference
Latino electorate projections released for nine states, including California, Florida and Texas;
Analysis found nearly 6,100 Latinos currently serving in elected office nationwide, with increases in Latino representation likely to follow Election 2014
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) today released Election 2014 state projections for Latino voters and an overview of Latino representation nationwide during the opening plenary of the NALEO 31st Annual Conference. Considered the nation’s annual Latino political convention, the three-day event is taking place June 26-28, 2014 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, California.
This year’s conference includes nearly 1,000 Latino public officials and supporters from communities across the country. The analysis was released as part of the “Politics and Power of the Latino Vote in 2014” panel, which addressed the critical influence of the Latino electorate this November, as well as the potential impact deepening partisan division, policy gridlock, and the stalling of immigration reform may have on the mobilization of the Latino voters and the choices they make at the ballot box this year.
Latinos are once again poised to play a vital role in the outcome of races nationwide this November — from the local level to the U.S. Senate. NALEO Educational Fund estimates that more than 7.8 million Latino voters are expected to head to the polls this year, an increase of 1.2 million from 2010. Projections for the Latino electorate in the following states were released as part of the 2014 Latino Election Handbook:
| Projected Latino Voters | Increase from 2010 | Projected Latino Share of Vote | |
| NATIONAL | 7,828,000 | 17.8% | 7.8% |
| Arizona | 567,000 | 39.3% | 21.1% |
| California | 2,417,000 | 17.4% | 21.5% |
| Colorado | 162,000 | 12.5% | 8.4% |
| Florida | 1,133,000 | 31.3% | 18.7% |
| Illinois | 280,000 | 16.2% | 6.9% |
| New Jersey | 188,000 | 6.2% | 7.6% |
| New Mexico | 194,000 | 6.0% | 33.2% |
| New York | 546,000 | 5.8% | 9.4% |
| Texas | 1,218,000 | 20.4% | 20.4% |
In addition, analysis of Latino political representation in the United States was presented to participants. NALEO Educational Fund found 6,084 Latinos serving in elected office, up from 4,853 in 2004. This total includes 3 U.S. Senators, 28 U.S. Representatives, 9 State Officials, 72 State Senators and 222 State Representatives. Additional information can be found in the 2014 National Directory of Latino Elected Officials here: http://www.naleo.org/downloads/2014_National_Directory_of_Latino_Elected_Officials.pdf.
A moderated discussion with NALEO Executive Director Arturo Vargas, The LIBRE Initiative Executive DirectorDaniel Garza, Latino Victory Project President Cristobal Alex and University of Texas at Austin Adjunct Professor Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, followed the release of NALEO Educational Fund state projections and national directory. Remarks from U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez, California Governor Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Kamala Harris will take place later today, as well as a panel devoted to evaluating the progress made since the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.
An engaging line-up of speakers will discuss the landmark legislation and the future of the civil rights movement for Latinos and all Americans. The session “50 Years after the Civil Rights Act: Where Are We Now?” will feature Former United States Attorney General Alberto A. Gonzales, Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta and Fox News Channel Host and Political Analyst Juan Williams.
A live stream of the Election 2014 opening plenary (8-9:30 a.m. PDT), leadership luncheon (12-1 p.m. PDT) and Civil Rights panel (1-2 p.m. PDT) will be available for online viewing at http://new.livestream.com/NALEOConf.
In addition to sessions devoted to Election 2014 and the Civil Rights Act 50th anniversary, conference attendees will also participate in policy discussions on a range of other national agenda issues, including immigration reform, education (with an emphasis on efforts to bridge the digital divide), healthcare, voting rights, Latina political leadership and U.S.-Mexico bi-national issues.
The NALEO 31st Annual Conference is made possible through the generous support of Presenting Sponsors, Southwest Airlines, Official Airline Sponsor of NALEO Educational Fund, and Toyota. For information about the conference and registration, please visit the NALEO website at http://www.naleo.org/sandiego2014/.
