This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters1 and other major groups of eligible voters in Arizona.2 All demographic data are based on Pew Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey.3

Hispanics in Arizona’s Eligible Voter Population

Population and Electorate in the United States and Arizona, 2012
  • The Hispanic population in Arizona is the sixth largest in the nation. About 2 million Hispanics reside in Arizona, 3.7% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • Arizona’s population is 30% Hispanic, the fourth largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
  • There are 902,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona—the fifth largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
  • Some 20% of Arizona eligible voters are Hispanic, the fourth largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
  • Some 46% of Hispanics in Arizona are eligible to vote, ranking Arizona 20th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 80% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Arizona and the United States, 2012
  • Age. About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona (35%) are ages 18 to 29, higher than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) and the share of all Arizona eligible voters and of all U.S. eligible voters (both 22%) in that age range.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona, 18% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is less than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 8% of all eligible voters in both Arizona in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
  • Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona are more likely to be of Mexican origin than Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. A large majority (87%) of Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona are of Mexican origin, 3% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 10% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, 59% are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and 27% are of some other Hispanic origin.
  • Educational Attainment. One-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Arizona (24%) have not completed high school, about double the 11% of all Arizona eligible voters who have not completed high school and about the same as the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
  • Homeownership. About six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona (59%) live in owner-occupied homes, a little higher than the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (56%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in Arizona (65%) and all eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Arizona, by Race and Ethnicity

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Arizona and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012
  • Number of Eligible Voters. Latino eligible voters outnumber Native American and black voters in Arizona by five to one. There are about three times as many white eligible voters as Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white, black and Native American eligible voters in Arizona. Some 35% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 17% of white eligible voters, 26% of black eligible voters and 32% of Native American eligible voters.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white and black eligible voters in Arizona. Some 24% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 7% of white eligible voters and 11% of black eligible voters. A slightly larger share (26%) of Native American eligible voters are not high school graduates.
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (59%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (38%) in Arizona, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (69%) or Native American (62%) eligible voters.