Ahead of Illinois Primaries, Top Concerns for Latino Voters are Inflation, Wages and Health Care Costs

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — In advance of Illinois’ primary elections on Tuesday, March 19, UnidosUS — the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization — is highlighting the top concerns for this influential electorate, as shown by their poll on the views of Latino voters nationwide. As the largest survey of Hispanic voters released this election cycle, its results point to deep concerns about cost of living, wages and health care costs as top of mind for many Latinos as they head to the polls this election season.

“Latinos are a large and growing force in Illinois and represented nearly 8% of votes cast in the 2020 presidential election,” said Clarissa Martinez De Castro, Vice President of the UnidosUS Latino Vote Initiative. “Hispanics are the second largest voting-age population in Illinois. Outreach and investments to close the voter registration gap would pay significant dividends, given that more than 89% of registered Latinos cast a ballot in the last presidential election.” 

Full results of the poll are available in the UnidosUS Hispanic Electorate Data Hub, a newly released multidimensional platform that provides data and insights on this electorate spanning the last two decades. The following outlines key findings on the Hispanic electorate. 

On the issues:  

  • Economy: Four of the top five concerns for Hispanic voters nationwide are dominated by economic and pocketbook issues, specifically inflation and the rising cost of living, wages, healthcare costs and housing affordability — which notably rose to the top five concerns for the first time.  
  • Gun violence: The 4th top concern, with voters concerned about ease of access to guns and assault weapons.    
  • Abortion: By a 71% to 23% margin, Latinos continue to oppose efforts to make it illegal or take that decision away from others, no matter their own personal beliefs on the issue.  
  • Immigration: While not in the top five priority issues, immigration is ranked higher than it was in 2022. Top action items include providing a path to citizenship for long-residing undocumented individuals and Dreamers; the lowest support of any issue in the battery is for finishing the wall or mass deportations.  

On voting:  

  • In 2024, 22% of Latinos in the United States will be voting in a presidential election for the first time.  
  • 38% of the Hispanic electorate nationally will be composed of new voters since Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off in 2016.