Hispanic vote could play significant role in 2008 swing states

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/28/hispanic.vote/?iref=mpstoryview

Inside the Hispanic vote: Growing in numbers, growing in diversity

<snip>The Hispanic vote is neither homogenous nor loyal to one party. Though the current political moment seems to favor the Democratic Party, experts say that affinity should not be taken for granted.

The Hispanic community is the fastest-growing minority group in the United States, according to the U.S. census.

But its percentage of the electorate is lower than its numbers as a whole because of lower citizenship rates, less voter participation and a youthful demographic. Of the nation's more than 44 million people of Hispanic origin, about a third are too young to vote.

But all that's changing.

Before the midterm elections in 2006, the Pew Hispanic Center, a Washington-based think-tank, estimated more than 17 million Hispanics would be eligible to vote in that election. The number represented a 7 percent increase from 2004.

The Hispanic share of the U.S. electorate increased from 8.2 percent to 8.6 percent during the same period, Pew estimated.

That percentage may grow even more by 2008 as a result of citizenship drives, get-out-the-vote campaigns and the natural growth of the community.

[MethuenProgressive]

1. Hispanics need to register, and need to vote.

My neighboring community of Lawrence Massachusetts had an Hispanic plurality for decades while dozens of the minority Irish and Italians were elected to city-wide office over and over. Recently elections have been more representative, but I'm still left puzzled over the results more often than not. The old saw 'if you don't vote, you won't count' seems to still stand.

[xxqqqzme]

2. And the sun rose in the east this morning.

Every four years, some rag prints this story. They should all have it memorized by now.

[judaspriestess]

3. San Antonio which is 60% Hispanic

is very democratic and always has been which I think signifies the sentiment of the Hispanic community around the country. The majority of Hispanics and newly sworn in citizens that I speak to on a regular basis here in Las Vegas mainly express their dislike for the republicans. The problem is many Latinos just don't vote. I sure do hope they vote this time around.

[flashl]

4. IIRC, a survey showed that Hispanics were repubs in large numbers ...

mainly because repubs attended immigration ceremonies and enrolled them as voters in large numbers. The Hispanic author indicated that new Hispanics citizens may at first believe that repub ideas were the same as theirs. His data indicated that around year five many Hispanics citizens changed their opinions.

I hope that my memory have done justice to the article.