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

Hispanics in Washington’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Washington is the 13th-largest in the nation. Some 643,000 Hispanics reside in Washington.
• The population in Washington is 10% Hispanic, the 16th-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 217,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Washington—the 13th-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
• Some 5% of eligible voters in Washington are Latinos, the 19th-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• One-third (34%) of Latinos in Washington are eligible to vote, ranking Washington 36th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 78% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. One-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Washington (33%) 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 Washington eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship. Two-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in Washington (21%) are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 7% of all Washington eligible voters. Hispanic eligible voters in Washington 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 Washington (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 Washington live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 60% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Somewhat greater shares of all eligible voters in Washington (69%) and all eligible voters nationwide (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Washington, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. White eligible voters in Washington outnumber Hispanic eligible voters by a margin of more than 17 to 1. Asian eligible voters in Washington outnumber Hispanic eligible voters—228,000 versus 217,000.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than other major racial groups in Washington. One-third of Latino eligible voters in Washington (33%) are ages 18 to 29 compared with 26% of black eligible voters and 20% of Asian and white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white and black eligible voters in Washington. Some 23% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with 15% of black eligible voters and 8% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters in Washington are less likely than white eligible voters, but more likely than black eligible voters, to live in owner-occupied homes—57% versus 71% and 42%, respectively.