The latest local elections in North Carolina yielded worrying results regarding Latino voter turnout. This is not a new trend or an anomaly. Latinos are consistently the ethnic group that proportionally votes the least nationwide. Why is this?
In the local elections in Mecklenburg County and the city of Charlotte, held in early November, of the 44,000 Latinos registered to vote, only a little more than 2,400 voted. This means that only 5.5 of every 100 registered Latinos went out to vote.
At the national level, the figures are also troubling. According to research by The Brookings Institution, in all midterm elections from 2010 to 2022, Latinos were the group that proportionally voted the least.
It would be very easy to blame this group for their lack of interest when it comes to going to the polls. However, this may be the effect of one or several deeper causes. As in any complex social phenomenon, there are multiple factors at play when explaining this problem. Let’s analyze the two most relevant issues.
Are Latino voters indifferent or do they feel unrepresented?
For many, political parties do not reflect the community they serve. Latinos represent about 11% of the population in North Carolina. Yet, out of the 2,000 candidates who appeared on ballots across the state in the 2022 midterm elections, only 27 identified as Latino. That represents 1% of all candidates, according to a NALEO report.
If the 170 legislators in the state General Assembly reflected the state’s population proportionally, there would be between 17 and 18 Latino members in the legislature. But the reality is that today we have none. The same thing happens on school boards, city councils, and boards of county commissioners.
Currently, only 15 Latinos hold public office in all of North Carolina. None of them serve at the state or federal level.
In the case of Mecklenburg County, a Latina candidate won a seat on the School Board for the first time in November. This was Liz Monterrey, daughter of Cuban immigrants. So, why did fewer Latinos vote in these elections if there was a candidate from their community?
In conversations with activists and voters, very few Latinos knew who Liz Monterrey was, in part because she has been living in Charlotte for less than three years and because she has been absent from multiple events in this community.
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Are Latinos not aware of their potential as voters?
We cannot place all the blame on politicians. We, as Latinos, must also assume our responsibility. There is widespread disappointment towards politicians, largely because one party demonizes them, and the other side has broken too many promises. Nevertheless, the truth is that today, more than ever, Latinos have the ability to tip the balance of power in favor of our community.
Although Latinos have low participation, they are the fastest growing group in terms of demographics and registered voters in North Carolina. According to the State Board of Elections, Latinos represent 3.7% of registered voters. This number may seem small, but don’t be fooled. Year after year, elections get closer and therefore, very few votes can make the difference in who wins.
We Latinos have the duty to make our voices heard, to represent those who cannot vote, to push the political agenda in favor of our families and our young people. Voting is the most powerful democratic tool that will allow us to build a better future for all.