Less Than Two Weeks Before the Elections, More Than 13 Million Latinos Have Not Registered to Vote

Latino leaders all around the country have been expressing concerns for weeks about what they see as insufficient outreach to Latino voters, especially considering the electorate has expanded significantly since 2020: it now boasts 36.2 million eligible voters—an increase of 4 million new voters compared to the previous electoral cycle. As recently as the second week of October, a poll conducted by Entravision, AltaMed, and BSP Research revealed that only a little over half of Latinos (52%) had been contacted by either party.

Now, with less than two weeks until Election Day, more than 13 million eligible Latino voters remain unregistered, raising concerns about whether campaigns have effectively engaged this growing demographic, as El País reports.

"There are more people talking about us than talking to us," Clarissa Martínez de Castro, vice president of the Latino Vote Initiative at UnidosUS, told the outlet. She added that "with more Latinos planning to vote early, in person or by mail, waiting until the last minute is really a missed opportunity."

In swing states like Pennsylvania, which has experienced a 40% increase in Latino residents since 2010, Latino political and business leaders in the state have raised concerns that Kamala Harris' presidential campaign is not sufficiently engaging Latino voters, potentially jeopardizing her chances of defeating Donald Trump in the state.

Experts also point to broader barriers in voter outreach, including the prevalence of misinformation within the Latino community. Language remains a critical factor, with many Latino households speaking Spanish, yet outreach has not adequately accounted for this.

Nevertheless, Democratic efforts have been noticeable as of late, including a $2 million investment in Spanish-language TV ads in Pennsylvania and another massive investment in similar media in Nevada, where Latinos now comprise 20% of the voting population.

Michael Toledo, CEO of Pennsylvania's Hispanic Center told El País that these efforts, however, may be insufficient considering the timing:

"Over the last week, we've started to see campaigns intensify. We are seeing people coming into our communities, knocking on doors, and initiating outreach activities that, honestly, I would have liked to see months ago"