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 Hispanic Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey.3

Hispanics in Arizona’s Eligible Voter Population

  •  The Hispanic population in Arizona is the sixth largest in the nation.4 About 1.9 million Hispanics reside in Arizona, 3.8% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • Arizona’s population is 30% Hispanic, the fourth largest Hispanic population share nationally.
  • There are 824,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona—the fifth largest Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
  • Some 19% of Arizona eligible voters are Hispanic, the fourth largest Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
  • About 43% of Hispanics in Arizona are eligible to vote, ranking Arizona 19th 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

  • Age. One-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona (35%) are ages 18 to 29, similar to the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 22% of all Arizona eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona, 18% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 7% of all eligible voters in Arizona and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S overall.
  • Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona have a different country-of-origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Almost nine-in-ten (87%) Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona are of Mexican origin, 3% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 10% that claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, only six-in-ten (59%) are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and about a quarter (26%) are of some other Hispanic origin.
  • Educational Attainment. Almost one-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Arizona (24%) have not completed high school, double the 12% of all Arizona eligible voters who have not completed high school.
  •  Homeownership. Roughly six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Arizona (62%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 58% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Somewhat greater shares of all eligible voters in Arizona (68%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Arizona, by Race and Ethnicity

  • Number of Eligible Voters. Latino eligible voters outnumber Native American eligible voters in Arizona by more than 4 to 1 and black eligible voters by almost 5 to 1.
  • Age. Latino and Native American eligible voters are younger than black and white eligible voters in Arizona. Some 35% of Latinos and 31% of Native Americans are ages 18 to 29 compared with 27% of black eligible voters and 18% of white eligible voters.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do black and white eligible voters in Arizona. Some 24% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 12% of black eligible voters and 7% of white eligible voters. But Hispanics are less likely than Native Americans (27%) in Arizona to be without a high school diploma.
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (62%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than Native American (56%) and black (37%) eligible voters in Arizona, but they are less likely to do so than white Arizona eligible voters (72%).