SAN FRANCISCO—A coalition of Spanish-language media and community organizations kicked off a massive voter registration drive Thursday aimed at putting nearly 1 million voter registration forms in the hands of potential Hispanic voters.
Hispanics have long been seen as a potentially powerful voting force, but that promise has yet to fully materialize.
This campaign—whose name in Spanish, “Ya es Hora, Ve y Vota!” translates as “It’s Time, Go Vote”—intends to change that by providing eligible new citizens with the information and the incentive they need to take part in the American political process, organizers said.
“This effort will not only put voter registration forms in the hands on Latinos, but also may help shape the political landscape,” said Janet Murgia, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza.
The campaign’s print media partner, impreMedia, will insert 990,500 voter registration cards into its publications between Friday and Monday in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York and Texas.
Among the company’s publications are some of the nation’s most widely read Spanish-language dailies, including the Los Angeles-based La ap, with a 120,750 daily circulation.
Community organizers will follow up with information on how to register and why it’s important to vote. Their message will be reinforced by television and radio spots by media giant Univision Communication and Entravision Communications.
This campaign follows a 2007 effort to get eligible Hispanic immigrants to become citizens, organizers said.
Hispanics traditionally have leaned Democratic, but organizers emphasized this effort was nonpartisan and intended only to increase civic participation and make the Hispanic voice heard on issues that matter most to them: the economy, education and immigration reform.
The turnout rate in the 2004 presidential election was 67 percent for non-Hispanic white citizens, 60 percent for blacks and 47 percent for Hispanic citizens of any race, according to census figures.
“This is neither a pro-Democratic or a pro-Republican effort,” said Mike Fernandez of State Farm Insurance Co., which helped fund the campaign.” “It’s pro-voting, and pro-American.”
