Full report is available for download on http://www.joltinitiative.org/
Austin, TX – Earlier today the Jolt Initiative, an organization geared towards engaging young Latinos to be civically engaged, released a groundbreaking study along with Ethnifacts and US-ness, “We Are Texas: An Analysis of Young Latino Voters in the Lone Star State”. The survey conducted interviews with 1,024 young Latinos in Texas, between the ages of 18-45, on the issues they care most about and how politically engaged they are.
As Texas closes in on becoming a majority-Latino state, studies like this will go a long way in understanding a community that is often forgotten politically. The findings provide context to understanding what issues are the most important to young Latinos, what will motivate them to vote, and what barriers prevent them from participating. Texas continues to be one of the states with lowest voter participation, studies like this will help us better understand what we can all do to ensure that young Texans feel empowered to participate in their democracy.
Below are findings from Jolt Initiative’s press release and the full report can be found here.
The study found that what Latinos cared most about are often considered “liberal” issues in fact the top issues included legalizing marijuana, expanding gun control, canceling student debt, raising the minimum wage and protecting the environment, among others. However,”We Are Texas” researchers found that healthcare for all and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants were the top two priorities for younger Latino voters in the state. Currently Latinos have the highest uninsured rate in Texas, and 62% of Latinos in Texas are immigrants or children of immigrants.
“Anyone that cares about this state and its future must read this report and take its recommendations seriously. Texas cannot solve any of the major problems that our state faces without the voices, experiences and issues of Latinos being fully represented in our government,” says Cristina Tzintzún Ramírez founder and executive director of Jolt Initiative.
Mario Carrillo, State Director of America’s Voice Texas, issued the following statement:
We commend the Jolt Initiative and its partners for such a robust survey that paints a clearer picture of the barriers and opportunities that exist in engaging young Latinos. The findings show us that young Latinos do care about the policies that affect them, but the lack of investment and engagement has left them out in the cold. Latinos will be the majority of our state soon, and our community continues to be younger than others and it is absolutely vital that we all understand where they are politically and meet them there.