NALEO Poll: Post-Election Survey of Latino Voters

The NALEO Educational Fund poll found that Latinos reported voting in high numbers, and a significant proportion of those Latino voters were casting a ballot for the first time. In the survey, 92% of those responding said they had voted in the presidential election, up from 81.5% who reported voting in 2004. One in every six Latino voters reported that it was the first time he or she had voted for president. Immigrant voters made up a big share of Latinos going to the polls, with 46% of respondents saying they had been born outside of the United States or in Puerto Rico.

Overall, Democrats benefitted from the increased turnout, with 72% of Latino voters saying they voted for Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL, and 25% saying they voted for Sen. John McCain, R-AZ. About 61% of respondents said they were Democrats, while 17% called themselves Republicans, and 14% chose independent. The biggest concern of Latino voters was the economy, with 67% saying that's the most important issue for President Elect Obama and the new Congress to tackle. Other top issues were immigration, at 6%, the war in Iraq, at 6%, and health care, at 5%. However, though it ranked much lower than the economy as a top priority, 68% of respondents said it is important that immigration be addressed within Obama's first year in office.

Beyond party identification, when asked about the party's concern for the Latino community, support for the Republican Party declines significantly. Only 8% of Latinos say they believe the Republican Party has more concern for the Latino community. In addition, 27% of Latino voters believe neither party is more concerned about the Latino community. This skepticism over the parties' concern about the Latino community was more pronounced among Spanish-speakers, where 31% believe there is no difference in concern between the parties.

Strong support for the President-elect and the new Democratic Congress comes with high expectations on the part of Latinos to see their communities do better over the next four years. Nearly 70% of Latino voters expect the situation for Latinos to improve under the Obama Administration. These hopes are higher among immigrant voters with 3 of every 4 indicating that they expect a better lot with Barack Obama being elected President.

Download the PDF