As Latinos figure to tilt the vote in Arizona, clean energy tops their list of priorities

Arizona figures to, once again, be a pivotal state this election cycle. Along with Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, it figures to have a decisive role in who gets chosen in November. So decisive in fact, that a recent Axios study revealed that, out of the 244 million eligible voters in the country, just 0.5% will be deciders. And they all come from those six states.

To put things into perspective, fewer than 11,000 votes secured President Joe Biden's victory in 2020, marking the first time a Democrat won Arizona since 1996. So it's fair to say that understanding the demographic's motivations this time around is going to be crucial as the Latino population has only grown more since.

In that context, a recent poll by the environmental justice organization Chispa AZ, sheds a light on an issue that has become top of mind for Latinos: climate change. The poll found that over 70% of registered Latino voters are concerned about climate change, and 60% support increasing clean energy requirements for electric utilities in Arizona.

Chispa AZ's April poll, conducted by Embold Research, surveyed 520 registered Latino voters in Arizona and revealed respondents preferred renewable energy sources like rooftop solar, solar farms, hydroelectricity, and wind farms, with support for fossil fuels significantly lower. Additionally, 93% of respondents agreed that the rising cost of electricity is a serious problem.

The poll comes to light as Arizona has become a focal point of the scorching temperature that has engulfed the country for the last few months. Just las week it was reported that over 300 deaths are suspected to be linked to this summer's record-breaking heat wave in Maricopa County, almost 100 of which are attributed to a single week, from July 7-13, when temperatures reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

The 2024 presidential race in Arizona will feature stark contrasts between candidates on climate and clean energy issues as Former President Donald Trump advocates for increased fossil fuel extraction, while President Joe Biden made historic investments in climate action through the Inflation Reduction Act, a policy that is likely to be deepened now that Kamala Harris has taken over the Democratic candidacy.

Climate change is the most recent sign that Latino voters may align more with what Democrats offer, but it's hardly the only one. Polling from Univision, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University ahead of the 2022 midterms revealed that inflation, abortion, jobs, and gun safety were top issues for Latino voters in the state, with a majority favoring liberal candidates' solutions.