Presidential candidates vying for the Hispanic vote can expect a record turnout, according to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund.
NALEO expects at least 12.2 million casting ballots in the 2012 presidential election--a 25.6 percent increase from 2008.
"While the Latino vote continues to increase with each Presidential election, much work needs to be done to fully engage Latinos in our country's electoral process," said NALEO Executive Director Arturo Vargas. "In 2008, 19.5 million Latinos were eligible to vote, but half did not cast ballots, because they were not registered or did not turn out. The Latino electorate must make faster progress if America's democracy is to thrive."
Hispanics will account for at least 8.7 percent of the country's voters.
Illinois has the greatest increase with an estimated 433,000 voters projected, an increase of 37.8 percent, which makes up 7.6 percent projected share
of Hispanic vote in that state.
According to NALEO, there will be several factors that could affect the actual turnout of Hispanics in 2012, including these:
•The public dialogue about issues that are important to Latinos, such as the economy, healthcare, immigration and education. Latino voters will be watching closely to see how the candidates address these issues.
•The impact of the Latino youth electoral participation. Between 2004 and 2008, the turnout of eligible Latino voters age 18-24 increased from 33 percent to 39 percent, and in 2008, one in seven Latino voters was in that age group. Latino youth represent a major part of the nation's future population and its electorate. By the 2012 election, approximately 2.4 million more U.S.-born Latinos will be older than 18 years old than in the 2008 election.
"This electorate has shown that it cannot be taken for granted by either party," Vargas said in a statement. "Campaigns must enhance their strategies to reach all Latino voters, both native-born and naturalized. Latinos played a key role in the 2008 election; they will determine who is sworn in on January 20, 2013."
To view NALEO's complete research regarding Hispanic voters, including a break down of individual state's projections, visit www.NALEO.org/latinovote.
