WAKE COUNTY, North Carolina – When Josahandy Avila thinks about the 2024 presidential election, the word “enthusiasm” doesn’t come to mind.
As a first-generation Mexican American, her family is directly affected by state and federal immigration laws and she is concerned about reproductive rights. But at the presidential level, she is still undecided – she is leaning towards President Joe Biden, but is potentially open to a third party candidacy.
“I think they’re just trying to give us what we want to hear,” she said of Biden and Donald Trump. “None of them are talking about issues that are very important to us. And it’s not just immigration, but also education, healthcare – other things like the economy.”
As Democrats seek to return the swing state of North Carolina to the presidential win column for the first time since 2008, Latinos like Ávila will be a key — but increasingly complicated — factor.
The state’s Latino population has increased by 40% in the last decade – the biggest increase from any other racial or ethnic group in the state. And Latinos represent more than 1.1 million residents – 290,000 of whom are registered voters – in a state that Trump won by less than 75,000 votes in 2020.
But getting them to the voting booth may be more difficult than ever this year. Latino Voter Turnout, Actually decreased in 2022, after having increased in the last two midterm elections. And turnout was even worse in the most recent primary elections, with less than 8% of Hispanic voters turning out, compared to nearly 30% of non-Hispanic voters.
Nikki Marín Baena is co-founder and co-director of Siembra NC, a Greensboro-based grassroots political organization focused on progressive issues and candidates. The organization registered 3,200 Latino voters this year, with a goal of 5,000 before the election.
She estimates that her team’s canvassers spoke to nearly 10,000 voters to come up with that number, which they accomplished by spreading out across flea markets — known colloquially as “flea markets” — as well as shopping malls, gyms and supermarkets. in five countries. counties with large Latino populations.
“One of the things I always tell people is that this election is not between Biden and Trump. This election is between Biden, Trump and the couch,” said Marín Baena. “And the couch seems like a really good option for a lot of people right now.”
Their organization also focuses on hyperlocal issues they believe affect people outside of election cycles, such as labor rights and wage theft. One reason: She believes Latino voters in the state are less involved in politics at the federal level this year.
“In 2020, in the last presidential election, I think it became much clearer to people what we were facing and what the choice was and how the two candidates were different. I think all of this seemed clearer,” said Marín Baena. “I think people have forgotten a little bit about 2020, and I think the constant news that we’re getting has made everything work together in a way that people don’t seem to be able to see that much of a difference between the two candidates.”
For Gema, a 20-year-old Wake County resident who declined to give her last name, the most important issues in this election are reproductive rights, the rise in complaints leading to book bans in the state and a potential TikTok ban in the US
She’s also not sure if she’s registered to vote.
“Honestly, I don’t even know who to vote for just because no matter which side you go on, there’s something fishy about it,” Gema said.
Like one of one estimated at 7 million Latino residents between the ages of 18 and 24 in the state, she is not alone. A recent national survey by the Brookings Institution found that while young Latino voters are more likely to support Democratic candidates, 37% of those under 30 report that Biden and Democrats “don’t care about the Latino community.”
It’s a dissatisfaction that Republicans in the state hope to capitalize on. Although Only 2% of North Carolina Republicans identifying as Hispanic in 2023, National Hispanic Outreach Director Sandy Moyer said the party’s message on economic issues and inflation is resonating with the community, especially when it comes to the cost of gas, groceries and purchasing own home.
“What are people doing now? They are renting houses. Well, a lot of these Hispanics, what’s the American dream? Having a home,” Moyer said. “These are the things we talk to them about and they say, ‘No, we’re having a big problem.’ The rental market is really expanding, but the real estate market is not.”
NBC News also reached out to the leadership of the state Democratic Party, which said it is investing earlier than ever in the state’s Latino community, adding in part:
“While Trump has overseen a 47% increase in Latino unemployment and is pushing to increase our healthcare costs, President Biden has gone above and beyond for our Latino communities, creating more than 400,000 good-paying jobs across our state and expanding the access to affordable health care for more than 600,000 North Carolinians.”
They also pointed to a seven-figure value campaign advertisement targeted specifically at Latinos watching the Copa América tournament. They said the announcement will be broadcast in several swing states, including North Carolina, where a tournament is scheduled for July 10 in Charlotte.
Meanwhile, in Wake County, Gema’s mother, Zaza, who also declined to give her last name, said that although she is concerned that both candidates are too old, she still plans to vote this year because she feels it is her responsibility as American citizen.
“Because it will make a difference,” she said in Spanish. “Poquito, pero una difference” — “a little, but a difference”.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
