Posted on 11/22/2007 11:16:34 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
At the local, state and national levels the Hispanic vote is gaining in importance as the 2008 presidential election approaches, local advocates say.
The Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials recently released a report that states the Latino electorate in Georgia is growing at "astounding rates."
"Based on the growth demonstrated, the Latino electorate can now begin to make significant impact on certain local elections," while also having the potential to influence competitive statewide races, Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the association, said.
As of November, the total number of registered voters in Georgia was almost 4.5 million, of which about 98,000 are estimated to be Hispanic.
In Whitfield County, the number of Hispanic registered voters increased 173 percent from 2003 to 2007, according to the association.
Neither Tennessee nor Hamilton County keep records of registered voters by race, according to county officials.
Wade Munday, spokesman for the Tennessee Democratic Party, said that in time "Tennessee is going to see a pretty significant increase in Hispanic voters and a decrease in traditional white male voters.
"While it won't occur any time in the immediate future, I think that (Hispanic) population is very important and their interests are at the front of pretty heavy issues," Mr. Munday said.
Although the current number of Hispanic voters nationwide is comparatively small, Mr. Gonzalez said it is important for policymakers and future candidates to understand the trends of the new electorate.
Efforts in Dalton
America Gruner, president of the Coalition of Latin Leaders, said that during the past mayoral election in Dalton, Ga., about 25 percent of the voter population went to the polls.
"There are about 900 Hispanics registered to vote in Dalton, which means any Hispanic vote can make a difference," Ms. Gruner said in Spanish.
David Pennington, runoff contender in Dalton's Dec. 4 mayoral elections, said fewer than 50 Hispanics cast votes in the Nov. 6 election.
He said people who vote usually are more involved in the community, which is one reason that it is important to get Hispanics to vote.
"Once they start voting, hopefully they'll start taking a leadership role and feel more attached to the community they're living in," Mr. Pennington said.
Chip Sellers, the other Dalton mayoral runoff contender, said the City Council and mayor also "need to more actively engage Latinos in the boards and commissions" they appoint and help spur interest in politics in the Hispanic community.
Organizations at the local, state and national levels have conducted campaigns to encourage and educate Hispanics about the importance of voting. The Coalition of Latin Leaders hosted information sessions to encourage people to vote.
"We had a very good response, but we still have a long way to go," Ms. Gruner said. "Many Hispanics don't think their vote can make a difference, and it's difficult to change their minds."
In Georgia, Mr. Gonzalez said it is important to continue voter registration, education and information drives and prepare a massive "Get Out To Vote" initiative for the November 2008 elections.
National campaign
At the national level a coalition of prominent organizations and Spanish media companies have begun a campaign called Ya es Hora, Ve y Vota! or "It's time, go vote," in an effort to increase Hispanic participation for the upcoming presidential elections.
According to the Federal Election Commission, 34 percent of the nation's 27 million Hispanics age 18 and older were registered to vote in 2004, compared to 73 percent of non-Hispanic whites and 64 percent of blacks.
The commission has reported that one reason registration levels are so low among Hispanics is that lower proportions of their voting-age population are citizens and eligible to vote.
Only 59 percent of adult Hispanics in the United States are citizens, compared to almost 98 percent of white non-Hispanics and 94 percent of blacks.
Robin Smith, chairwoman of the Tennessee Republican Party, said the increasing number of Hispanic voters "speaks for the fact that there's more and more folks choosing to make America their home and do so legally." Ms. Smith believes candidates and parties should look at voters as individuals and not as voting blocs.
However, officials with some advocate groups say partnership with other minority groups can mean more effective representation.
Ms. Gruner organized a candidate forum with the Concerned Citizens of Dalton, an organization that addresses the needs of the black community. She said it is essential that minority groups get together.
"We need more services to benefit the common people, and if we each work separately, we will not have the same result that we would if we start working together," she said.
E-mail Perla Trevizo at ptrevizo@timesfreepress.com
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Only American citizens can vote in our elections...
American citizens speak English...
PING
They won’t need us at all before long, except to pay the bills!
It makes a difference if it is a “block vote”—all of them voting in lockstep for the same candidates. In 2004 Bush got 45 percent of the Hispanic vote, Kerry 55 percent. That’s not a block.
I am searching the constution for this, but cannot find it. Would you mind pointing it out. Or a corresponding law?
Well of course, and some American citizens are bilingual and others only speak Spanish, Polish, Greek, Vietnamize or a Chinese dialect. We have the right to vote because we are citizens not because of the language we speak.
The Hispanic vote will be minimized if all states require official photo I.D. cards to vote. Then the citizens of this country will not be disenfranchised!
This is true. However, since 1946, with some exceptions, it has been a legal requirement that one demonstrate mastery of English to become an American citizen. This requirement does not apply to everyone, but, for the most part, American citizens who cannot speak English have probably gained their citizenship through fraud.
What do I mean by fraud? I have met people who told me that, in the 90s, they demonstrated their “proficiency” in English with the help of an interpreter. That’s fraud.
So, while it’s true that many American citizens do not speak English, MOST were required to speak English in order to become citizens. Those who were legally required to learn English, did not, and still became citizens, may have gained their US citizenship under false pretenses.
Just a thought.
Babies don't speak english and they are citizens if born in the US.
However, my point was that there are American citizens that are born in the States and grow-up not speaking English.
This is probably true... However, IMHO, parents of children who do not grow up learning English should be charged with child abuse and their children taken away.
But would you also revoke these people’s right to vote?
I’ll bet the percentage of legal hispanic voters here is much lower.
yeah right.....another Tennessee open border naive idjit
we’ve revoked folks for less
but actually I dismiss your premise to begin with
no kids born here and being citizens and who have lived here and been educated here would not speak Ingles by aged 18.
and those born here are very unlikely to have then been yanked away till their 18th birthday to an non-English speaking environment...those would be an exception to the exception to the exception to the rule and hardly should dictate policy.....you already know I don’t think exceptions make rules
my daughters are dual Brasilian and they did not speak Ingles in Miami where we lived till later around aged 5 in kindergarten
in Texas and in the SW you will sometimes run into a Hispanic woman who was born in the States, grew-up in a Spanish speaking household and neighborhood works as a cleaning woman and does not speak English.
I have been in parts or Chicago and Brooklyn and met adults that were born in the states and hardly know English.
And then there is South Louisiana where I have no idea what they speak it is not English.
As for me, I was born in Colombia and spoke primarily Spanish until I moved to the states and entered school. My parents were US and spoke English but my siblings, maid, nanny, driver, friends and schoolmates spoke Spanish.
When I entered school in the states, I was an oddity a white boy that did not know English.
I lived in Miami for almost 8 years....I never knew any native born kids who did not speak English after beginning school age...since English is sorta unavoidable in school...even in Myamuh
I know Colombia well...too well....lol
many years there off and on....a lifetime ago.
Personally, and I am probably wrong, but I think some of these articles are printed to gin the hispanics up to get out and vote also. Of course they are increasing in numbers, thanks in part to the illegals, and yes, like you said, they have or should have to be citizens to vote. But the media is trying to play its’ part to build them up go vote too..
I wonder what would happen if there was an article tagged “Resurgence of White Vote Dominates Elections”? I’m thinking , it would start a war with the Jackson/Chavez types.
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