National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund

The NALEO Educational Fund estimates that at least 9.2 million Latino voters will cast ballots in this year’s November Election, an increase of more than 20% from 2004. Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of the NALEO Educational Fund noted that “Latinos have become an important part of the American Political process. Whichever course either party intends to chart in 2008 and beyond, will require a strong understanding of the Latino electorate.” The publication will be formally released at the NALEO Educational Fund’s luncheon briefings on the Latino vote held during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions beginning next week.

Key Statistics:
b Latino voters may help decide as many as 46 Electoral Votes, at stake in critical battleground states.
b Latinos are an emerging electorate: Nearly half of the Latino Electorate in Nevada has registered since the 2004 Presidential Election (49.7%).
b Naturalized voters may play a key role: Nearly a third of Latino voting-age citizens are naturalized citizens (32.1%).
b Latino turnout is expected to increase: More than one million Latinos are expected to cast ballots in Florida
b Latinos are a young electorate: One in four Latino voters in Colorado are under the age of 30 (25.7%).