UnidosUS Unveils New Hispanic Electorate Data Hub, and Releases Polling on California’s Hispanic Voter Priorities with Mi Familia Vota

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Data Hub and survey are part of a multi-year, multi-state effort to build an accurate understanding of this electorate, grow Latino participation and advance community priorities

WASHINGTON, DC—Last year, UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, and Mi Familia Vota, a national civic engagement organization, announced a multi-year, multi-state partnership connecting electoral programs, policy advocacy, research and community engagement to lift Latino voices.

As a part of this effort, UnidosUS and Mi Familia Vota today released the results of a 2023 Poll of California’s Hispanic Electorate, conducted by BSP Research. The 2023 poll provides timely insights into the perspectives and priorities of California’s Hispanic voters a year out from the 2024 elections and is part of the most expansive national poll on the Hispanic electorate this cycle.

Esmeralda Lopez, UnidosUS’s California State Director, said:

“The poll shows that the concerns of Latino voters in California are primarily economic. The impact of the rising cost of living and housing is felt disproportionately by Latinos, which UnidosUS has seen firsthand in our research and through our work on the ground. Latinos are the second largest voting age group in the state, and they want policy solutions and meaningful financial investments by lawmakers so they can pursue their American dream.”

 

Key findings of the poll include:  

On the issues 

  • Four of the top five concerns for California’s Hispanic voters are dominated by economic and pocketbook issues, specifically inflation and the rising cost of living, jobs, affordable housing and healthcare.
  • Gun violence remained among the top five, doing so for the first time in 2022.
  • On abortion: 74% of California’s Latino voters continue to oppose efforts to make it illegal or take that decision away from others, no matter their own personal beliefs on the issue.
  • On immigration: Immigration remains a priority issue in California (ranked as 6th top issue). Providing a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and other immigrants with long-standing ties in the country are the two big policies Latino voters want to see advanced on this issue.
  • On climate: Climate concern is high, and California Latinos think action is urgently needed to forestall weather and climate related catastrophes. Only 6% doubt the reality of climate change.

On voting 

  • In 2024, 23% of California’s Latinos will be voting in a presidential election for the first time.
  • 41% of California’s Latino electorate is comprised of new voters since Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off in 2016. 

On the parties 

  • California’s Latino voters see Democrats as more aligned with their values and views, on a host of issues including treating people with dignity/respect, democracy and elections, health care, and elections. Yet many Latino voters don’t feel that either party truly cares about the Latino community. 
  • Looking forward to the 2024 election, Rep. Gallego and President Biden hold substantial polling leads among California’s Latino electorate at this very early stage. 
  • Democratic Representatives Katie Porter, Barbara Lee, and Adam Schiff are the top three candidates, each with equal percentage of Latino support in an extremely tight race for U.S. Senate 
  • President Biden’s approval rating stands at 50%, and in potential 2024 match-ups he holds a 21+ point lead over former President Trump and 33+ point lead over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis 

This research shows that both parties need to do more to better engage and expand support with Hispanic voters.   

Gary Segura, President of BSP Research, said: 

California’s Latino community, the nation’s largest, continues to shape the state’s political agenda and contribute mightily to the Democratic super majority. However, costs of living—and especially costs of housing and health—remain deeply worrisome and are an important signal to both parties about where and how they should direct efforts to win over the community’s support.” 

Tim Hernandez, Mi Familia Vota’s California State Director, said:   

“41% of California’s Latino electorate is new since Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off in 2016. This is a tremendous moment to engage the new electorate, and this poll provides a blueprint for doing just that. By discussing the Latino community’s policy priorities in a civic engagement campaign, we plan to leverage this poll and its findings in our direct community engagement. Our community faces rising costs of living, and they don’t feel like their voices are being heard. As the organization with the most extensive field infrastructure targeting Latinos in the country, Mi Familia Vota is committed to building Latino political power by expanding the electorate, strengthening local infrastructures and executing a year-round voter engagement program. We know that for California to prosper, our community must thrive, engage and vote. By staying true to the communities’ needs, we will ensure they are registered and civically educated, using their voice to the fullest, and have the tools they need to hold politicians accountable to their, and our, policy priorities in November!” 

About the full survey 

Total N=3,037 Latino eligible voters 

  • N= 2,707 registered 
  • N= 330 eligible, not registered 
  • Margin of error +/- 1.8% 

Oversamples 

  • N=300 per: Arizona, California, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania (+/- 5.7%) 
  • N=400 Florida, Texas (+/- 4.9%) 

Field Dates: Nov 2 – 13, 2023 

English or Spanish, according to preference 

Mixed mode: 75% online, 25% live telephone interviews