What Motivates Latino Citizens to Vote on November 5 

Latino voters talk about their concerns on the economy, immigration and abortion  

The November elections are almost here, and Latino voters are thinking about important issues like economy, immigration, and abortion. Here’s what some Latino voters are saying as they get ready to vote. The election of the 47th president of the United States is a big deal, not just for the country but for the whole world. But these elections are also a kind of referendum on many issues that impact the daily lives of people living here.  

For Camilo Lopez from Washington State, who identifies as a Republican, the big issue in this election is the economy, especially inflation, homelessness, and the right to own guns without too many rules. 

On the other hand, Raul Gonzalez, a construction worker who came to the U.S. during the Amnesty of the 1980s and always votes Democratic, believes that protecting U.S. democratic institutions are the main reason to vote.  

Of course, what issues matter most depends on who you ask. But there’s a general agreement that the following are the key issues for voters in the November elections. 
 

Economy: Inflation, Housing, Homelessness and Employment  

Aracely Cauich, a Mexican immigrant living in California, says the economy is a big concern. She’s worried about rising prices, expensive housing, low wages, and Homelessness. As a social worker, she sees how these issues are making life harder for many families. 

She is not the only one who feels this way. A Pew Research Center survey found that 73% of Americans believe improving the economy should be the top priority in this election.   

Inflation has been a tough issue, with prices going up, especially for food. In the last 12 months, inflation has been 2.2%.  

Abortion Rights  

Luz Martinez, a devout Catholic from San Diego, California, says abortion is one of her main reasons she is voting in November.   

However, nearly two years after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed the nation's right to abortion, a majority of Americans continue to express support for legal access to abortion.  

About six-in-ten (63%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. This proportion has grown 4 percentage points since 2021. 

The Pew Research Center survey conducted April 2024, among 8,709 adults, revealed partisan divisions on attitudes toward abortion.  

Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (85%) overwhelmingly say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.  

Many Americans think the decision to have an abortion should be up to the pregnant woman, while about one-third believe embryos are persons with rights.    

Gun control and crime  

Gun control is one of the most heated issues in every election. For gun owners, any effort to regulate gun sales feels like an attack on their Second rights, to own and carry guns.  

In 2023, the U.S. recorder 630 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive.   

The concern is not only about assault weapons but also the large number of guns on the streets, which took 48,000 people lives in 2022 alone.  

The U.S. is the only country in the world where there are more guns than people--120 firearms for every 100 residents, according to the Small Arms Survey.    

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said last June that gun violence   the country is a public health crisis and suggested looking at gun deaths as a health issue, not just a political standpoint.  

But not everyone sees it that way.  

Luis Alvarado, a Republican-leaning political strategist, says the gun issue is also about feeling that the U.S. is becoming less safe. “People want to have guns to defend themselves,” Alvarado said. “It's a very clear message to the authorities of, if you can't defend me, then I'll defend myself.” 

Immigration and border security  

Immigration has been a hot topic since Donald Trump's first election and is still a major concern of voters on all sides.  

How to solve the problem varies widely. Trump's proposals to start deporting the 11 million undocumented immigrants right away, while Democrats suggest making it harder to get asylum and offering relief to certain groups of immigrants.  

For many Americans, the situation at the border is a sing that there’s a lack of control. Critics say that under Biden,  more than twice as many people have entered the country illegally compared to the Trump administration.   

As November 5 approaches, these are the key issues that Latino voters are considering as they get ready to cast their ballots.