Latinos in the 2010 Elections: Ohio

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

Hispanics in Ohio’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Ohio is the 23rd-largest in the nation. Some 296,000 Hispanics reside in Ohio, 1% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• The population in Ohio is 3% Hispanic, the 45th-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 140,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Ohio—the 18th-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
• Some 2% of eligible voters in Ohio are Latinos, the 40th-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• Less than half (47%) of Latinos in Ohio are eligible to vote, ranking Ohio 15th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 77% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. One-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio (32%) are ages 18 to 29, similar to the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (31%) in that age range. By contrast, only 21% of all Ohio eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship. Some 13% of Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 2% of all Ohio eligible voters. Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio are more likely to be native-born citizens (87%) than are Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (74%).
• Educational Attainment. One-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Ohio (23%) have not completed high school. That was less than the rate for all Latino eligible voters—26%—but greater than the rate for U.S. eligible voters nationwide—13%.
• Homeownership. Some 57% of Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 60% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Somewhat greater shares of all eligible voters in Ohio (72%) and all eligible voters nationwide (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Ohio, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. Black eligible voters in Ohio outnumber Hispanic eligible voters by a margin of more than 6-to-1—934,000 blacks compared with 140,000 Hispanics.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than black and white eligible voters in Ohio. Nearly one-third (32%) of Latino eligible voters are ages 18 to 29 compared with 26% of black eligible voters and 20% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Ohio. Some 23% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with 11% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio are less likely than white eligible voters, but more likely than black eligible voters, to live in owner-occupied homes—57% versus 76% and 44%, respectively.