Latinos in the 2010 Elections: Oregon

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

Hispanics in Oregon’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Oregon is the 18th-largest in the nation. Some 417,000 Hispanics reside in Oregon.
• The population in Oregon is 11% Hispanic, the 14th-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 125,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Oregon—the 20th-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
• Some 5% of eligible voters in Oregon are Latinos, the 20th-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• Three-in-ten (30%) of Latinos in Oregon are eligible to vote, ranking Oregon 44th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 79% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. Some 36% of Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon are ages 18 to 29, greater than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (31%) in that age range. By contrast, only 21% of all Oregon eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship. Two-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon (21%) are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 5% of all Oregon eligible voters. Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon are more likely to be native-born citizens (79%) than are Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (74%).
• Educational Attainment. One-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Oregon (24%) 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 56% of Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 60% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Somewhat greater shares of all eligible voters in Oregon (68%) and all eligible voters nationwide (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Oregon, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. Among the total population in Oregon, whites outnumber Hispanics by a margin of 7 to 1. However, white eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon by 19 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white eligible voters in Oregon. Among Latino eligible voters, 36% are ages 18 to 29 compared with 19% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Oregon. One-in-four Hispanic eligible voters (24%) have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with 9% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters are less likely than white eligible voters in Oregon to live in owner-occupied homes—56% versus 70%.