Ahead of Primary Day in Pennsylvania, Wages, Cost of Living and Healthcare Costs Top Concerns for Latino Voters

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PENNSYLVANIA — On the eve of the state’s primary elections, UnidosUS — the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization — is highlighting the priorities Pennsylvania Latino voters want elected officials to address. Based on the largest poll of Hispanic voters this cycle, this influential electorate wants to see action to address low wages, inflation and healthcare costs. As a key swing state, Pennsylvania’s Latino Voters will play a critical role in deciding the presidency and the balance of power in Congress.

“Pennsylvania’s rapidly growing Latino community will again be the key swing vote in the commonwealth’s upcoming 2024 elections,” said Clarissa Martinez De Castro, Vice President of the UnidosUS Latino Vote Initiative. “In 2024, 1 in 5 Latino voters in Pennsylvania will be voting in a presidential election for the first time. Add to the equation the more than 200,000 Latinos in need of registration, and it is clear that investments to close the registration gap coupled with effective outreach leaning into these voters’ priorities — wages, cost of living and health care — will be decisive.”

The full poll results are available in the UnidosUS Hispanic Electorate Data Hub, a platform that provides data and insights on this electorate over the last two decades. The following outlines key findings on Pennsylvania’s Hispanic electorate.

On the issues:

  • Four of the top five concerns for Pennsylvania’s Hispanic voters are dominated by economic and pocketbook issues, specifically wages, inflation and the rising cost of living, healthcare costs and housing affordability.
  • Gun violence remained among the top five, doing so for the first time in 2022.
  • On abortion: 74% of Pennsylvania’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: Providing a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and other immigrants with long-standing ties in the country are the top immigration priorities for Latino voters in the state.

On voting

  • In 2024, 21% of Pennsylvania’s Latinos will be voting in a presidential election for the first time.
  • 35% of Pennsylvania’s Latino electorate is comprised of new voters since Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off in 2016.

On the parties

  • Pennsylvania’s Latino voters see Democrats as more aligned with their values and views on a host of issues including treating people with dignity and respect, democracy and elections, health care and elections.
  • Yet 37% of Latino voters feel Democrats don’t care too much about the Latino community, and a majority (51%) feels that way about Republicans.
  • Looking forward to the 2024 election, Senator Casey and President Biden hold substantial polling leads among Pennsylvania’s Latino electorate at this very early stage.