About 433,000 Arizona Hispanics expected to vote in 2016, more than 2012

PHOENIX — About 433,000 Hispanics are expected to vote in November’s general election in Arizona, a report released Tuesday said.

That figure would be about 33,000 higher than the number of Hispanics that voted in 2012, according to the “DATOS: The State of Arizona’s Hispanic Market” report compiled by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

About 625,000 Hispanics were registered to vote in Arizona in February, but that number is expected to have grown by Nov. 8 because of campaigns working to get out the vote by groups such as One Arizona.

“If Latinos turn out you can change the national perception of Arizona, forever,” Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said during an event at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.

Actor, director and activist Edward James Olmost joined the effort to get Latinos in Arizona registered to vote.

“When you participate with the community, the community wins,” Olmos told KTAR News during the DATOS event. “

Following his appearance at the DATOS release, Olmos joined students at Central High School in Phoenix in celebration of National Voter Registration Day.

“Voting is the single most important aspect of the democracy,” he told students.

In partnership with WestGroup Research  and Oye! Intelligence, the AZHCC surveyed Arizona Latinos in July and August about their voting preferences.

It found 40 percent of Arizona Hispanic heads of household did not feel their vote would make a difference. The same percentage felt candidates not representing the interests of Hispanics to be another reason for not voting. Vote devaluation, lack of education, disenfranchisement, family, distrust and disinterest were also cited reasons.

Immigration was the top issue driving voting decision of Arizona Hispanic heads of households, followed by the economy, jobs, and education, according to the survey.

Editor’s note: DATOS also included data about Hispanic spending power. Click here to read the story.

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