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Local News
Democracia USA, a Hispanic civic engagement program, registered the new voters, but Executive Director Jorge Mursuli declined to give the party breakdown, saying the group’s goal was participation and not partisanship. ‘‘There is a growing sense of political engagement in the Hispanic community, and a sense of emerging political power,’’ Mursuli said. Citing U.S. Census figures, the group said there are about 9 million Hispanics registered to vote. There are approximately 40 million Hispanics living in the United States, making up about 14 percent of the population. The group registered 105,342 new voters in less than a year’s time: 56,003 in Florida; 25,669 in Pennsylvania; 20,560 in New Jersey; and 3,110 in Arizona. The group’s efforts were concentrated in Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Arizona was considered a pilot project. Mursuli said the group registered 387 voters in Yuma County. "This go around wasn't about the numbers," he said. "It was to figure out how we can work with local agencies. Our plan is to use this model and fine tune it in Arizona and take it around the country." The largest group of new voters across all four states were people between the ages of 18 and 39, and the gender breakdown was about equal in all the states, Mursuli said. The new voters increased the number of Hispanics registered to vote by 27 percent in Pennsylvania, 6 percent in Florida and New Jersey, and 1 percent in Arizona. The four states were chosen for their growing Hispanic communities, Mursuli said. The new voters could be the deciding factor in several races. Mursuli cited Pennsylvania and New Jersey’s Senate contests and the Florida gubernatorial campaign. Mursuli said while it remains to be seen how the new voters would cast ballots in some races, he predicted most in New Jersey would flock to Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, a Cuban-American. The group will be back in the states next week concentrating on get out the vote efforts, Mursuli said.  |
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