This statistical profile provides key demographic information of Latino eligible voters in California.¹ It also contains data on other major groups of eligible voters in California.² All data are based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in California’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in California is the largest in the nation. More than 13.4 million Hispanics reside in California, 29% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• The population in California is 37% Hispanic, the second-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 5.4 million eligible Hispanic voters in California—the largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. Texas ranks second with 3.8 million.
• One-quarter (24%) of eligible voters in California are Latinos, the third-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• Some 40% of Latinos in California are eligible to vote, ranking California 22nd nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 79% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. One third of Hispanic eligible voters in California (34%) are ages 18 to 29. By contrast, only 24% of all California eligible voters, 31% of Hispanic eligible voters nationwide and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are in that age range.
• Citizenship. Nearly three-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in California (28%) are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 19% of all California eligible voters. Nationwide, 93% of all eligible voters are citizens by birth, as are 74% of all Hispanic voters, compared with 72% of California Hispanic eligible voters.

  

• Educational Attainment. Among Latino eligible voters in California 27% have not completed high school, similar to the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide. Just 13% of all California eligible voters and all eligible voters nationwide have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters in California are less likely as all California eligible voters to live in an owner-occupied home—59% versus 63%. In contrast, a greater share of all eligible voters nationwide (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in California, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. Latino eligible voters outnumber black eligible voters in California by more than 3 to 1—5.4 million versus 1.6 million. Twice as many Hispanics as Asians are eligible to vote in California—5.4 million versus 1.6 million.
• Age. In California, Latino eligible voters are younger than white, black and Asian eligible voters. More than one-in-three (34%) Latino eligible voters are ages 18 to 29 compared with 19% of white, 27% of black and 20% of Asian eligible voters.
• Citizenship. Asian eligible voters in California are more than twice as likely as Latino eligible voters to be naturalized citizens—70% versus 28%.
• Homeownership. California Latino eligible voters (59%) are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (67%) and Asian (68%) eligible voters in California.