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LATINA VOTER INTERNET AND NEW MEDIA USAGE:
Groundbreaking Poll Shows Internet & New Media Usage Vital for
Engaging Latinas
Los Angeles, CA - Latina voters with access to the internet
are more likely to be informed about new state laws and the
legislative process in general than non-connected Latina voters,
according to a report released today by HOPE (Hispanas Organized for
Political Equality). The poll was conducted by Bendixen & Associates
and highlights the importance of bridging the digital divide to
engage the Latina voting bloc for civic participation. The poll,
Public Opinion Study Of California Latina Electorate, is the first
of its kind to gage Latina voters’ awareness and comfort level using
social media.
“The Latina voter is a growing and influential segment of the
California electorate,” said Helen Iris Torres, Executive Director
of HOPE. “Identifying their level of internet consumption and usage
habits of new media, two tools that increase voter engagement and
participation, can help mobilize more effective strategies to
involve Latinas in the electoral process.”
The report shows that Latinas with access to the internet and an
email address are significantly more likely to be informed about new
state laws and the legislative process in Sacramento than Latina
voters that are not connected to “new media.” In addition, they are
also more likely to get directly involved in organizations that
focus on issues that impact on their careers and the quality of life
of their families.
“For many years, the California Latina electorate was largely
invisible,” said Sergio Bendixen, President of Bendixen & Associates
and conductor of this study. “However, with the rise of, and
increased accessibility to, 'new media,' these women are poised to
assume an important role in California politics in the years to
come.”
Latina voters are educated, with more than two-thirds of Latinas
having a high school diploma or attained a higher education. In
addition, the California Latina electorate is about equally divided
between those that are English dominant and their Spanish dominant
counterparts.
Other key findings of the poll include:
· Latina voters trust their community and neighborhood leaders much
more than elected officials or media personalities. Latinas of all
ages and educational and economic classes tend to look at their
communities and neighborhoods for political and civic leadership.
· Latina voters prioritize funding for education with an
overwhelming majority (90%) support measures that mandate that all
high schools in California offer the necessary classes to prepare
students for college.
“The findings of this poll demonstrate the powerful implications of
'new media' and its potential to mobilize a base of Latina voters in
California that ensures that their interests, as well as those of
their children and families, are given the attention that they
merit,” said Bendixen.
The poll is a part of a statewide campaign called “HOPE.ACT.VOTE”
which aims to mobilize California’s 1.6 million Latina registered
voters to become informed citizens, effective policy advocates, and
active civic participants through an interactive online advocacy
center. HOPE. ACT. VOTE is a program funded by the Zero Divide
Foundation (zerodivide.org).
HOPE is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to ensuring
political and economic parity for Latinas through leadership,
advocacy, and education to the benefit of all communities and the
status of women.
About Bendixen & Associates
Bendixen and Associates is a full-service public opinion research,
management, and communications consulting firm based in Miami,
Florida. Founded in
1984, the firm has grown from a company with roots in political
campaigns and pollin
into an international consulting company that incorporates many
disciplines and sectors.
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