Latino voter registration spikes in North Carolina

Latino voter registration has spiked in North Carolina — a trend that could have an important impact on the state in the presidential election.

According to the Pew Research Center, the number of Latinos registered to vote in North Carolina is up from 10,000 in 2004 to 135,000 as of February.

Mario Carrillo, spokesperson for Voto Latino, said voter registration groups are working to register people in Latino communities.

“You’re seeing a lot of organizations really do the leg work and going out into the community and speaking with the communities about the issues that matter to them,” he said.

Carrillo said this presidential election is important for many Latino Americans.

“I think a lot of Latinos know that there’s a lot at stake in this particular election for the Latino community and I think that’s leading people to really want to make sure that their voice is heard,” he said.

As of now, Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, is up 2.6 percent over the Republican nominee, Donald Trump in North Carolina, according to a Real Clear Politics polling average.

But Michael Cobb, associate professor of political science at N.C. State University, said an increase in the number of Latinos registered doesn’t mean there will be a higher Latino voter turnout.

“You’ve got voter registration groups that are going directly to Hispanic areas and registering them,” he said. “They might be compliant, but they’re not really intending to vote.”

Rob Schofield, director of research at NC Policy Watch, said part of the reason North Carolina is seeing an increase in Latino voter registration is because the state’s population is changing.

“There’s a larger population of Latino people who are citizens and so I think that’s one explanation,” he said.

Schofield also said the candidates in the presidential election could have an effect on the number of Latinos registering to vote.

“I’m sure it’s also partially explained by the fact that you have a national political candidate who has more or less made it one of his stated objectives to make immigration much more difficult and to make the lives of immigrants much more difficult,” he said.

Carrillo said Latinos could be swayed by the rhetoric of political candidates.

“I think the Latino voter is seeing one party really alienate them and talk about immigration in a way that’s dehumanizing and talk about immigration in a way that really doesn’t address the humanity of the issue,” he said. “So certainly I could see that swing Latino voters one way or the other.”

Cobb said the number of registered Latinos may not end up changing much, though if they vote disproportionately for one candidate they could shift the outcome of the election.

“Obama lost the state by a little less than 100,000 voters in 2012 in North Carolina, so if you have 50,000 more Hispanic voters and they’re disproportionately Democrat or at least anti-Trump in a close election, this could come into play,” he said.

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