Chapter Four: How Have Latino Voting Trends Changed?

David Leal answers frequently asked questions about how Latino Americans vote and their impact on elections. If the Latino vote is not substantial enough to turn an election, why do candidates continue to target their votes? Are there political and social issues that are shared across Latino groups? Does US foreign policy towards Latin America change the Latino vote?

This lecture was recorded in the fall of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Discussion Questions

1. Why is acculturation important for political participation?
2. What factors keep immigrants out of the electoral process?

Additional Resources

• Read “Winning California’s Latino Vote,” by David Leal. Available here.
• Read “One in Four Latinos Voted for Trump Last Time. They’ll Likely Do So Again,” by Álvaro J. Corral and David Leal. Available here.
• Is America’s Latino vote the “sleeping giant” the media predict it will be every four years? David Leal explains in the Area 45 podcast. Available here.