Research Shows Latino Voters in Central Valley and Southern California Face Major Participation Gaps

In California, we have passed groundbreaking election reform laws that have expanded access to voting and to options to vote, and yet California’s racial voter participation gap persists: the communities that are most affected by climate change, pollution, and environmental injustice are historically the same communities have faced barriers to exercising their right to vote, the consequences of which are still felt today.

Expanding voter registration and voter turnout among young people, women, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color is essential to supporting democracy.

We published a report to help close California’s voter participation gap, especially in underrepresented communities. 

Here are our biggest takeaways:

• Millions of Californians are either not registered to vote, or not going to the polls.
  • There were 3M unregistered voters who were eligible in 2020.
  • There were 4M registered voters who did not vote in 2020.
•  Moving to a full participatory democracy will take continued funding.
  • It will take roughly $126 million for a multi year election cycle to bring millions of California’s 7 plus million non voters into the electorate. 
• Latinos make up the biggest share of eligible voters, but their registration rates don’t reflect their size.
  • Latinos had the lowest turnout rates in 8 (tied in 2) of the 10 counties, despite making up the majority of eligible voters and registrants in most counties.
• The top 10 counties in California that are underrepresented in terms of voting are all in the Central Valley and Inland Empire.
  • These non voters are largely people of color, and in these 10 counties alone we can target almost 4 million non voters.
  • This includes crucial counties like Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Fresno, and more. 
• Secretary of State-Governor’s Office-County-Community Based Organizational level of coordination will be needed to help close the gap between white and non white voters. 
  • This looks like administering grants to community based organizations and county elections offices via a partnership with the Secretary of State and the Governor’s office of Community Partnerships, as well as increasing our Secretary of State’s ability to mobilize staff all across the state to champion the message that voting is precious, and our democracy needs full participation.