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
1.4.2007
Latinos and the War in Iraq
11.27.2006
Latinos and the 2006 Mid-term Election
10.2.2006
Hispanics and the 2006 Election
6.7.2006
Hispanic Attitudes Toward Learning English
5.17.2006
The State of American Public Opinion on Immigration in Spring 2006: A Review of Major Surveys
4.5.2006
Recently Arrived Migrants and the Congressional Debate on Immigration
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
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.
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
9.25.2003
2003 Multilingual Survey Of California Voters
4.8.2003
Survey Of Latino Attitudes On The War With Iraq
3.27.2003
Hispanics In The Military
2.18.2003
Survey Of Latino Attitudes On A Possible War With Iraq
12.17.2002
Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation 2002 National Survey Of Latinos
10.3.2002
Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation National Survey Of Latinos: The Latino Electorate
10.1.2002
The Latino Population and the Latino Electorate: The Numbers Differ