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What are the priorities of Hispanic voters?

A recent study shows a significant shift with inflation and abortion at the top of the list while immigration did not make the top five.

SAN DIEGO — The countdown to California's general election has started and voters will head to the polls to elect candidates in major races that could shift policies and the direction of the state for years to come.

Decisions about skyrocketing inflation, jobs, and availability of affordable housing could be impacted in November.

For Hispanic voters, they are letting candidates know they will vote no if economic concerns and abortion rights are not prioritized. 

It is a striking shift among Hispanic voters, who in years before, prioritized immigration and very little pushed for abortion because of religious beliefs. 

“I can tell you abortions' never get two and a half or three percent, nationally and now we have 22% of eligible Latino voters in California saying it’s in their top three,” said Gary Segura, Ph.D., President and co-founder of BSP Research. 

According to a new study from UnidosUS and Mi Familia Vota, 61 percent of Latino voters say inflation is their first priority, gun violence is their second, and jobs were third in line. Healthcare and abortion came in at fourth and fifth.

“There is strong support for elected officials to address them, investing in working families, including housing and rental assistance, health insurance assistance, and investing in education to help students catch up after the learning loss during the pandemic,” said Segura.

Unidos says the shift comes because of unemployment rates and recent deadly mass shootings.

In regard to abortion, the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has impacted thousands of women, the majority of them minorities, according to the study. 

“You should not assume that immigration reform is not important to Latino voters, I think what you should look at is the environment. With COVID-19 prices, the economic issues, and so forth, it raised the importance of other issues, not necessarily diminishing the importance of immigration,” said Segura.  

The study also shows that 88 percent of California voters say it is personally important to them for elected officials to speak out against nationalism.

Midterm elections will take place on November 8th, the last day to register to vote for the l election is October 24th. 

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