The upcoming presidential election is less than four months away, and this year 36 million Latinos will be eligible to vote in November, as reported by the Pew Research Center.
Chicago Latina Magazine recently teamed up with Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign to host a Zoom call in support of Harris and to strategize reaching out to Hispanic communities nationwide.
During the call, Michelle Villegas, the national Latino engagement director for Harris, commended the participants for their overwhelming support and successful fundraising efforts, raising over $110,000 for the Harris Campaign.
Women on the call discussed the slogan, “llámala Kamala,” as a way to rally Latino support for Harris and encourage participation in the election.
According to the NALEO Educational Fund, around 17.5 million Latinos are projected to vote in the 2024 election, with California, Texas, Florida, and Arizona being home to the largest Latino populations expected to participate.
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Adriana Zapata, a small business owner in Phoenix, Arizona, shared her enthusiasm for Harris’ candidacy and the sense of hope it has sparked in her community. She emphasized the importance of electing a president who supports small businesses like hers.
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Recent data from the Pew Research Center indicates a shift in Latino voter preferences, with an increasing trend of support for Republican presidential candidates. However, a recent CNN survey shows Harris gaining traction among Latino voters, narrowing the gap with Trump.
The latest New York Times/Siena poll suggests that if the election were held today, 60% of Hispanics would vote for Harris, while 36% would vote for Trump, with 3% undecided.
Key concerns among Latino voters include the U.S. economy and inflation, as highlighted by the top issues survey.
With Latinos expected to play a significant role in the upcoming election, accounting for about 15% of all eligible voters, their turnout is anticipated to be record-breaking. They also tend to be younger than the overall pool of eligible voters, as per the Pew Research Center.
