UnidosUS Voter Poll: Pocketbook Issues Still Top Nevada Latino Priorities

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Immigration and gun violence round up the top five priorities for the state’s Latino voters

WASHINGTON, DC – UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, today released findings from its 2024 Pre-Election Poll of Nevada’s Hispanic Electorate. The data shows that the top five priorities for Nevada Latino voters, two months out from the election, are dominated by cost-of-living issues– inflation, jobs and wages, and affordable housing. Immigration and gun violence were the fourth and fifth priorities respectively. Poll results, as well as upcoming additional Congressional district-level data for the Latino voting-age population provided by the USC Center for Inclusive Democracy, can be found in UnidosUS Hispanic Electorate Data Hub, launched last November to advance a more accurate understanding of this electorate.  

  • See a slide presentation of poll toplines here.    
  • Check out the interactive Hispanic Electorate Hub here. 

Rafael Collazo, UnidosUS director of Political Affairs, said, “Latinos represent one of every four voters in the battleground state of Nevada, where the presidential margin of victory in 2020 was 2.4 percentage points. As they did then, Hispanic voters will play a defining role in this year’s election. Yet, 53% of Latino voters in the state say they have not been contacted about the upcoming election. Candidates should be redoubling their efforts to engage this decisive electorate and present concrete solutions to their top concerns — cost of living, wages and housing — to gain their confidence and earn their votes.”   

Key Findings Include:   

On the issues   

Nevada Latino voters’ top five issues are largely consistent with Latinos across the country and continue to be dominated by pocketbook and economic concerns.   

  • Inflation: Food and basic necessities, housing/rent and gas prices are driving concerns about inflation.   
  • Jobs: Better pay and concerns about job security top the concerns about jobs and economy.  
  • Housing: Top concerns are lack of affordable rentals or homes for sale and rising rents. 
  • Immigration: Cracking down on human smugglers and drug traffickers is the top concern. 
  • Crime/Gun Violence: The top concern is that guns and assault weapons are too easy to get. 

On immigration, Latino voters favor a path to citizenship for long-residing undocumented immigrants and Dreamers; of the top 4 priorities, three relate to path to citizenship and protecting long-residing undocumented immigrants. 

On abortion, by a 70% to 22% margin, Nevada Latinos consistently oppose making it illegal or taking that decision away from others, no matter their own personal beliefs.   

On voting   

In 2024, 20% of Nevada Latinos will be voting in their first presidential election.    

  • 37% of the Nevada Latino electorate is new since the 2016 presidential election.   

While a majority of Latinos are certain they will vote, many are still deciding.   

Early outreach is key: 37% plan to vote early, 23% by mail and 40% on Election Day.   

  • 53% say they have not been contacted this cycle by the parties or organizations.   

On the parties and candidates   

  • On priority issues overall, Democrats are more trusted than Republicans, but 26% of Latino voters responded “neither,” “both” or “don’t know” when asked which party would be better at addressing their priority issue. 
  • In the Senate race, Democrat Jacky Rosen holds a +30-point lead in support from Latino voters over Republican Sam Brown: 55% to 24%
  • Vice President Harris holds a +23-point lead in support from Latino voters over former President Trump: 56% to 34%.   

Manny Santamaria, Mi Familia Vota’s Nevada state director said, “Mi Familia Vota is committed to holding all politicians accountable to the policy priorities of the Latino community. Our team has a strong presence in Nevada and this poll demonstrates what we have been hearing on the ground — Latinos are deeply frustrated by the rising costs of living, food and everyday necessities. Additionally, immigration continues to be a powerful and significant concern for Latino voters here, and we’re making sure their voices are heard in the state’s critical elections.” 

Conducted by BSP Research with oversamples in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas, the 2024 Pre-Election Poll of the Hispanic Electorate provides a more accurate and nuanced understanding of this decisive, but often misunderstood electorate, and serves as a follow-up to UnidosUS 2023 Pre-Election Poll.    

About the survey:

Total N=3,000 Latino eligible voters  

  • N= 2,800 registered.  
  • N= 200 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: August 5-23, 2024  

  • English or Spanish, according to preference.  
  • Mixed mode: 75% online, 25% live telephone interviews.