Following National Political Conventions, Latino Vote Solidifies but Enthusiasm Flattens

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Latino voter enthusiasm showed no noticeable increase after the political conventions even though both parties made a concerted effort to reach out to Latinos through speakers and targeted messages, according to this week’s impreMedia-Latino Decisions tracking poll. The number of voters saying they were certain to vote in the upcoming presidential election dropped to 82% from last week’s 85%, and the number of voters saying they were “very enthusiastic” about the 2012 election reduced from 54% to 49%.

“We did not observe any noticeable increase in levels of enthusiasm or certainty to vote; in fact we saw a small decrease compared to two weeks ago. It could be we are seeing too much fighting and negative politics.”

Nevertheless, the vast majority of Latino voters seem to have made up their minds and 66% of Latino voters say they are with Obama, while Romney garners only 29% of the Latino vote.

“Despite two weeks of continual political coverage by both parties, Latino voter turnout is still very much in question,” noted Matt Barreto of Latino Decisions. “We did not observe any noticeable increase in levels of enthusiasm or certainty to vote; in fact we saw a small decrease compared to two weeks ago. It could be we are seeing too much fighting and negative politics.”

Voters continued to express a deep concern about the economy, but Republicans in Congress get most of the blame with a 56% unfavorable rating when asked who was most responsible for the lack of economic growth. “A clear majority of Latinos say fighting by both parties in Congress is the real reason the economy is not recovering faster, and neither party gets majority approval on outreach to the Latino community.”

“We know Latino voter turnout is going to be critical in states like Colorado, Nevada, Florida and Virginia,” said Barreto, “and while a big majority of Latinos currently plan to vote for Obama, the bigger question is just how many will come out to vote? In 2008 we saw record turnout, but so far in 2012 enthusiasm remains a concern.”

The weekly tracking poll is part of impreMedia's commitment to provide unique insights and superior coverage of the upcoming 2012 presidential elections. “We understand how critical the Latino vote will be in determining the outcome of this election. With the end of the political conventions voters will now get a unique perspective on how the important bread and butter issues are addressed by each candidate,” stated Monica Lozano, CEO of impreMedia.

To view more data and information on this week’s poll visit: www.laopinion.com/section/voto.

METHODOLOGY

This is the third release of an 11-week tracking poll of Latino registered voters. Each week impreMedia and Latino Decisions will release a new rolling cross-section of 300 completed interviews with Latino registered voters across all 50 states. Interviews are conducted in English or Spanish, at the preference of the respondent, all conducted by bilingual interviewers at Latino Decisions calling center, Pacific Market Research. The survey averaged 10 minutes in length, and has an overall margin of error of 5.6% on results that approach a 50/50 distribution. All respondents confirm that they are Hispanic or Latino and currently registered to vote.

This third wave of the survey was fielded August 31-Sept 6, 2012.

About impreMedia

impreMedia is the leading Hispanic news and information company in the U.S. in online and print. impreMedia's multi-platform offerings range from online to video, social media, mobile, audio, newspapers and magazines, including the http://www.impre.com portal. 25.5% of U.S. Hispanic adults use an impreMedia network product. The network is also the nation's largest Hispanic newspaper publisher with newspapers in top U.S. Hispanic markets, reaching 15 markets total that represent 59% of the U.S. Hispanic population. Its leading publications include La Opinión in Los Angeles and El Diario La Prensa in New York. For more information, visit: http://www.impremedia.com.

ImpreMedia portals and publication websites are: www.impre.com, www.laopinion.com, www.eldiariony.com, www.hoynyc.com, www.laraza.com, www.laprensafl.com, www.elmensajero.com, www.rumbotx.com, www.vistamagazine.com, www.contigola.com, and www.lavibra.com.

About Latino Decisions

Latino Decisions is a joint effort between Pacific Market Research, a nationally known research firm, and Dr. Gary Segura and Dr. Matt Barreto, leading Latino politics scholars and professors at Stanford University and the University of Washington. Both Dr. Segura and Dr. Barreto are experienced and nationally respected researchers who have a deep understanding of U.S. Latino culture and advanced quantitative research skills. Their expertise, coupled with Pacific Market Research’s logistical capabilities, makes Latino Decisions a leader in the field. For more information, please visit www.latinodecisions.com or call 877-271-2300.