Stepping Up: The Impact of the Newest Immigrant, Asian and Latino Voters

For Immediate Release

September 3, 2013

Washington D.C. – Today, the Immigration Policy Center releases, Stepping Up: The Impact of the Newest Immigrant, Asian and Latino Voters. Forty years ago, the United States was 83 percent white and 95 percent native-born. Today it is 64 percent white and 87 percent native-born. This demographic transformation is well-documented at national and state levels. However, less attention has been paid to how these changes are affecting the electoral composition of congressional districts, particularly within the context of immigration reform.

This new congressional level data shows that over the next four election cycles, the electoral composition will change as younger Asian and Latino adults, as well as naturalized immigrants (both sympathetic to immigration issues) enter the voting booth.  This transformation of the electorate is happening because younger Americans are much more diverse than older Americans.

According to the report:
*  About 1.8 Million U.S. citizen Asians and Latinos become eligible to vote in each two-year election cycle.
*  About 1.4 million new naturalized citizens become eligible to vote in each two-year election cycle.
*  Together these groups will constitute 34% of all new eligible voters in the 2014 elections alone.

According to the Author, Rob Paral:
“Representatives contemplating their eventual vote on immigration reform need to weigh the numerous policy arguments in favor of reform and make an informed decision, but they must also understand the shifting demographic dimensions of their districts. Despite the composition of current voters, congressional representatives need to see their electorate not only for what it is, but for what it is becoming.”

To view the report, which includes sortable congressional district data and a map, see:
Stepping Up: The Impact of the Newest Immigrant, Asian and Latino Voters. (IPC Special Report, September 3, 2013)

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For more information, contact Wendy Feliz at wfeliz@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524.