Latino residents make up 38% of California's adults but just 29% of its likely voters, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. White residents are 35% of adults and 47% of likely voters. That gap is the backdrop for a push in Sonoma County and across the state to raise Latino turnout for Nov. 3.

The numbers

  • More than 5 million registered California voters identify as Latino or Hispanic, according to the Sonoma Index-Tribune, citing PPIC.
  • Latinos are more than a third of likely Democratic voters and about 23% of likely Republican voters.
  • The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute counts 8.4 million eligible Latino voters in California. Of those, 5.4 million are registered and 4.5 million voted in 2024.
  • In Sonoma County, the nonprofit Los Cien's Latino Scorecard shows Latino registration rose from 59% of eligible voters in 2019 to 67% in 2022, then stalled.
  • Statewide, PPIC says a majority of unregistered adults, a group that includes noncitizens, are Latino (59%).

What voters say matters

Óscar Chávez, president of Community Foundation Sonoma County, told the paper the top concern is the cost of living. "Inflation has outpaced wages," he said. "Their primary concern is whether or not they can keep food on their table." Political strategist Mike Madrid said the economy outranks other issues by about three to one. He called immigration "a very, very distant priority" by comparison, though still important.

The paper also points to federal health care cuts that the California Budget and Policy Center expects to affect up to 3.4 million Californians. It notes that Democrat Xavier Becerra, the favorite in the governor's race, would be the first Latino governor since 1875.

Who turns out

PPIC's profile shows California's likely voters skew older, more affluent and more likely to own homes. Three-quarters of them are homeowners, compared with 26% renters. Young adults make up 30% of the adult population but only 21% of likely voters. A Pew Research Center survey cited by the Index-Tribune found Latino voters backing Democratic House candidates more engaged than in 2022. Latino Republicans showed lower engagement.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.

More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.