Politics

Latinos are a growing and highly diverse presence on the U.S. political landscape. The Center's public opinion surveys are a unique source of data on the variety of Latino attitudes on a range of public policy issues. Other research examines the impact of population growth on voter registration.

Related Publications

4.29.2010
Hispanics and Arizona’s New Immigration Law
More Americans believe that Hispanics are the targets of a lot of discrimination in American society than say the same about any other major racial or ethnic group, according to a Pew Research Center survey taken prior to the recent enactment of an immigration enforcement law by the state of Arizona. These findings from the Pew Research Center’s November 2009 survey are included in a new Pew Hispanic Center fact sheet that covers a range of issues, attitudes and trends related to the new Arizona measure and its potential impact on the Latino community and on the enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws.

4.30.2009
Dissecting the 2008 Electorate: Most Diverse in U.S. History
The electorate in last year's presidential election was the most racially and ethnically diverse in U.S. history, with nearly one-in-four votes cast by non-whites. The nation's three biggest minority groups--blacks, Hispanics and Asians--each accounted for unprecedented shares of the presidential vote. Additionally, the levels of participation by black, Hispanic and Asian eligible voters all increased from 2004 to 2008, reducing the gap between themselves and white eligible voters. This was particularly true for black eligible voters. Their voter turnout rate increased 4.9 percentage points, from 60.3% in 2004 to 65.2% in 2008, nearly matching the voter turnout rate of white eligible voters (66.1%).

1.15.2009
Hispanics and the New Administration: Immigration Slips as a Top Priority
A year and a half after much debate over immigration reform in Congress, the issue appears to have receded in importance among Latinos. Only three-in-ten (31%) Latinos rate immigration as an "extremely important" issue facing the incoming Obama administration. The top-rated issue among Latinos is the economy; some 57% of Hispanics say it is an "extremely important" one for the new president to address. Looking forward, Hispanics are optimistic about the new administration. More than seven-in-ten (72%) say they expect Obama to have a successful first term.

11.5.2008
The Hispanic Vote in the 2008 Election
Updated November 7, 2008 to reflect updated exit poll results.
Hispanics voted for Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden over Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin by a margin of more than two-to-one in the 2008 presidential election, 67% versus 31%, according to an analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center of exit polls from Edison Media Research as published by CNN. The Center's analysis also finds that 9% of the electorate was Latino, up from 8% in 2004. This report contains an analysis of exit poll results for the Latino vote in 9 states and for the U.S.

10.29.2008
Among Hispanics in Florida, 2008 Voter Registration Rolls Swing Democratic
Unlike in the rest of the country, the Latino vote in the Sunshine State has tended to be heavily Republican; but changing politics and demographics have produced a substantial shift in electoral rolls.

7.24.2008
2008 National Survey of Latinos: Hispanic Voter Attitudes
Hispanic registered voters support Democrat Barack Obama for president over Republican John McCain by 66% to 23%, according to a nationwide survey of 2,015 Latinos conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, from June 9 through July 13, 2008. In addition to their strong support for Obama, Latino voters have moved sharply into the Democratic camp in the past two years, reversing a pro-GOP tide that had been evident among Latinos earlier in the decade. The report also examines Hispanic registered voter engagement, ratings of national conditions, and top campaign issues.

3.7.2008
The Hispanic Vote in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primaries
This report examines the turnout, demographic characteristics, opinions and voting patterns of the Hispanic electorate in Democratic primaries and caucuses held so far in 2008.

3.7.2008
Hispanics Key to Clinton Victories in Nation's Two Biggest States
Sen. Hillary Clinton would not have won primaries in the nation's two largest states--Texas and California--if Latinos had not turned out in such large numbers and if they had not voted so heavily in her favor, according to an analysis of exit polling data. She also would not have carried a third state--New Mexico--without Latino support.

12.13.2007
2007 National Survey of Latinos: As Illegal Immigration Issue Heats Up, Hispanics Feel a Chill
The 2007 National Survey of Latinos finds Hispanics are feeling a range of negative effects from the increased public attention to immigration and stepped up enforcement measures.

12.6.2007
Hispanics and the 2008 Election: A Swing Vote?
This report analyzes Census data and voting trends on a state-by-state basis to explore the potential of Latinos to be a "swing vote" in the 2008 presidential election.

11.29.2007
English Usage Among Hispanics in the United States
Nearly all adult children of Latino immigrants, but only a small minority of immigrants, describe themselves as fluent in English. English is spoken more commonly at work than at home by all generations. Hispanic immigrants report greater fluency in English if they are highly educated, arrived in the United States as children or have spent many years here. Those born in Puerto Rico and South America are the most likely to say they are proficient in English; Mexican-born are the least likely.

7.24.2007
The Latino Electorate: An Analysis of the 2006 Election
Did Latinos register and vote at higher rates in the mid-term elections of 2006? This fact sheet is based on data from a supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS) that is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau every November of an election year. It also includes voting and registration data for both whites and blacks.

1.4.2007
Latinos and the War in Iraq
Two out of every three Latinos now believe that U.S. troops should be brought home from Iraq as soon as possible and only one in four think the U.S. made the right decision in using military force, according to a new survey by the Pew Hispanic Center. Hispanics have generally expressed a more negative view toward the war compared with the rest of the population. The latest survey, however, shows an even stronger opposition on the part of Latinos, especially when it comes to keeping troops in Iraq.

11.27.2006
Latinos and the 2006 Mid-term Election
This fact sheet uses exit polls to compare the Latino vote in the 2006 election to elections in 2002 and 2004. It also assesses the possible impact of the Latino vote in 2006 by looking at the Hispanic share of eligible voters in the most contested congressional races, the Latino vote in 30 House seats gained by Democrats and the outcome in districts with large shares of Hispanic voters.

10.2.2006
Hispanics and the 2006 Election
This fact sheet presents estimates for the number of Hispanics who will be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old and thus eligible to vote as of November 2006. Also presented are estimates of the number of eligible voters who will have registered to vote based on several scenarios that weigh changes in the population and potential levels of political participation. The fact sheet includes tables on Hispanics and their eligibility to vote by state, congressional district and nationwide.

6.7.2006
Hispanic Attitudes Toward Learning English
Hispanics by a large margin believe that immigrants have to speak English to be a part of American society and even more so that English should be taught to the children of immigrants, according to recent surveys conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.

5.17.2006
The State of American Public Opinion on Immigration in Spring 2006: A Review of Major Surveys
This fact sheet reviews findings on attitudes towards immigration and immigration policy options from a variety of major surveys of the American public taken this spring by several different media and research organizations. Looking at this body of data as a whole indicates that the American public has generally consistent views. The polls do not suggest major shifts in public opinion over the spring as a result of either the immigrant marches or the policy debate with one important exception: The share of Americans who see immigration as a major problem has been increasing rapidly, and the growing concern is especially notable among Republicans.

4.5.2006
Recently Arrived Migrants and the Congressional Debate on Immigration
Some of the proposals in immigration legislation under consideration in the U.S. Congress would distinguish between unauthorized migrants of long standing and those more recently arrived. For example, one alternative would offer a path towards immediate legal status for those who have been in the U.S. for five years or more while those with less time in the country would have the chance to apply for temporary worker status. This Fact Sheet presents information from several data sources showing that short-term illegal migrants comprise a sizeable and somewhat distinct population.

2.22.2006
Pew Hispanic Center Survey of Mexicans Living in the U.S. on Absentee Voting in Mexican Elections
Strict requirements, insufficient information about registration procedures and lack of public interest hobbled Mexico's first effort to conduct absentee voting among its more than ten million adult citizens living in the United States, according to a Pew Hispanic Center survey. About one-half of one percent of Mexicans in the U.S. sought absentee ballots for the presidential election in July during a registration period which ended last month. Full toplines are available under "Other Resources."

6.27.2005
Hispanics and the 2004 Election: Population, Electorate and Voters
Hispanics accounted for half of the population growth in the United States between the elections of 2000 and 2004 but only one-tenth of the increase in the total votes cast, according to a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This gap between the very substantial growth of the Hispanic population and much more modest growth in Hispanic electoral clout has been developing for a generation but has widened considerably in recent years.

3.16.2005
Hispanics and the Social Security Debate
This report examines the demographic and economic characteristics that define Latinos' stake in the Social Security debate as well as their views on major policy options. The topics covered in the report include: the impact of President Bush's proposals for individual investment accounts on various segments of the Hispanic population; Hispanics' reliance on Social Security compared with other racial and ethnic groups; and the role of Latino workers in helping finance the system as the Baby Boom generation heads to retirement. In addition a new public opinion survey of a nationally representative sample of the Hispanic population examines Latino views of President Bush's proposals and other issues in the policy debate.

2.17.2005
Spanish Language TV Coverage of the 2004 Campaigns
This study, conducted in partnership with the Lear Center Local News Archive (University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication), provides important baseline data on how U.S. politics is covered by the Spanish-language broadcast media. On the 29 days prior to the November 2, 2004 election, the nightly half-hour network news on Telemundo, Univision, ABC, CBS and NBC was monitored. In addition, local evening news coverage from 5:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on affiliates of ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo and Univision in three markets was captured and analyzed during that period.

2.7.2005
Survey On Latino Attitudes On The War In Iraq
Attitudes towards the war in Iraq are more negative among Latinos than in the general population, according to a Pew Hispanic Center survey conducted as President George W. Bush began his second term. A slight majority of Hispanics (51%) think U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq as soon as possible. Significantly fewer (37%) say that the United States should keep military troops in Iraq until the situation has stabilized.

10.1.2004
Florida Hispanic Electorate
About 1.5 million Latinos are eligible to vote in Florida, representing approximately 14 percent of the more than 11 million eligible voters in the state, according to a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of data from Current Population Surveys conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census in 2003. Of those Florida Latinos, who are U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old, some 540,000 or 36 percent identify themselves as being of Cuban origins, and another 480,000 or 32 percent identify as being of Puerto Rican origins. Another 315,000 or 21 percent trace their origins to Central and South America.

7.22.2004
Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation 2004 National Survey Of Latinos: Politics and Civic Participation
Hispanic voters are more concerned this year about issues that affect all Americans -- such as education, the economy, health care and the war against terrorism -- than about immigration, according to a new comprehensive survey of Latino registered voters. As has long been the case, these voters are much more concerned about education than the general public, and they are most likely to say education will be extremely important in their vote for president this year, according to the survey released today by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Kaiser Family Foundation. A separate poll shows that among Latino registered voters, the presidential race stands at Bush 32% versus Kerry 62% as of mid-July.

7.22.2004
Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation National Survey of Latinos: Political and Civic Participation
The rapid growth of the Latino population has been a subject of intense public attention since the 2000 Census reported a 58% increase over the 1990 total and later Census Bureau estimates concluded that Hispanics had surpassed African Americans in number. However, because of the distinctive factors generating this growth—immigration and high birth rates—increases in raw population do not automatically produce increases in the number of voters.

3.19.2004
Latinos in California, Texas, New York, Florida and New Jersey
This survey brief compares the views and experiences of Latinos living in five states with large Latino populations. Topics include country of origin, identity, citizenship, politics and discrimination.

1.8.2004
Latino Attitudes On The War In Iraq, The Economy And The 2004 Election
Latino support for the war in Iraq and for President George W. Bush has surged since the capture of Saddam Hussein, but Latinos remain concerned about the condition of the U.S. economy and the long-term consequences of the war. In order to probe Latino views of the war, the economy, and the upcoming presidential race, the Pew Hispanic Center (PHC) conducted two national surveys of Latino adults. One took place in December 2003, just before Hussein's capture, and the other in early January 2004

9.25.2003
2003 Multilingual Survey Of California Voters
The California electorate is sharply split along racial and ethnic lines with Latino, African American, Asian American and white voters expressing distinctly different views of the recall, of Gov. Gray Davis' performance in office, of the candidates seeking to replace him and of the racial classification initiative (Proposition 54).

4.8.2003
Survey Of Latino Attitudes On The War With Iraq
The Hispanic population is divided over the war with Iraq. Latinos born in the United States express strong support as well as optimism over its course thus far while the foreign born voice more cautious views and greater concern over the potential for terrorist attacks and economic losses, according to a Pew Hispanic Center poll of Latino adults taken April 3 to 6, 2003. This survey shows that support for the war is considerably higher among all Latinos as U.S. troops take the fight to Baghdad than in a similar survey taken in mid-February when the prospect of war was being debated at the United Nations.

3.27.2003
Hispanics In The Military
Latino enlisted personnel are underrepresented when compared to the size of the civilian labor force of the appropriate age. They are on par when compared to civilian labor force of the appropriate age that possess the necessary educational credentials. And, they are overrepresented when compared to the civilian labor force of the appropriate age that posses both the necessary educational credentials and immigration status.

2.18.2003
Survey Of Latino Attitudes On A Possible War With Iraq
Support for U.S. military action against Iraq is weaker in the Hispanic population, particularly among the foreign born, than in the American population overall, according to a Pew Hispanic Center poll of Latino adults taken February 13 to 16, 2003. Several recent polls by news organizations show that 60 to 70 percent of the general public supports military action. In this survey 48 percent of Latinos said they support invading Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power and 43 percent are opposed. Among native-born Latinos support for a possible war is 52 percent, and among foreign-born Latinos support is 46 percent in the Pew Hispanic Center poll. Overall Latino views mirror those of the general public on whether Iraq poses an immediate threat to the United States although somewhat fewer Latinos see a long-term threat from Iraq compared to the findings of general population polls.

12.17.2002
Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation 2002 National Survey Of Latinos
The Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation 2002 National Survey of Latinos comprehensively explores the attitudes and experiences of Hispanics on a wide variety of topics. This survey was designed to capture the diversity of the Latino population by including almost 3,000 Hispanics from various backgrounds and groups so that in addition to describing Latinos overall, comparisons can be made among key Hispanic subgroups as well.

10.3.2002
Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation National Survey Of Latinos: The Latino Electorate
The Hispanic electorate is emerging as a distinct presence on the political landscape, demonstrating broad but shallow party loyalty and a mixture of ideological beliefs and policy positions that defies easy categorization. At a time when the rest of the nation is almost evenly split along partisan lines, Latino voters appear to straddle some of the sharpest divides in American politics today. Though most Latinos identify with the Democratic Party, this party affiliation comes with a notable ambivalence, and on some social issues they express a conservatism that sets them apart from their white counterparts. Similarly, most Latino Republicans voice a preference for a bigger government and higher taxes, which is contrary to the stand taken by an overwhelming majority of white Republicans.

10.1.2002
The Latino Population and the Latino Electorate: The Numbers Differ
The nation's 35 million Hispanics comprise nearly 13 percent of the population. However, there are a far smaller number of Hispanic voters. In the November 2000 election, an estimated 5.9 million Latinos voted, comprising 5 percent of the total vote. The large difference between the size of the Latino population and of the Latino electorate is the result of several factors: The Latino population is overwhelmingly young. Immigrants make up more than half the voting-age population and a small share of them have become citizens. Finally, voter registration and turnout rates are relatively low among Latino citizens.