Norman Latinos May Sit Out Vote

The New York Times published an article recently alleging what may be a disturbing national trend. According to the article, only 51 percent of registered Latino voters plan to vote in the upcoming Congressional elections. This is a far cry from the 70 percent of other voters who say they will definitely be casting their vote.

These sentiments by Latinos, who are depended on heavily by the Democratics, seem to be echoed by Latinos in Norman as well. The immigration laws recently passed in Phoenix played a large part in dispiriting the Latino community - causing a number of them to become fed up and unwilling to participate in an election that many in the community feel won't help them either way.

JoBeth Suarez, 19, is of Mexican heritage; her parents immigrated here 15 years ago. She says that although she hasn't made up her mind either way, she knows for certain that her parents and her extended family will not be casting votes.

"Latinos, but Mexicans especially, are a dominant political force in this country now; my father told me yesterday that Latinos are the second largest ethnic group in Houston now," Suarez said. "I haven't made up my mind yet, but I know for sure that most of my family feels like no one in power has done anything to help overturn the recent laws in Phoenix - other than talk - and they don't feel like they can back either party."

Nathan Heskia, 21-year-old graduate of Emerson College in Boston, echoed Suarez's sentiments. Heskia is in a very unique position because his father is an Israeli immigrant who speaks fluent Hebrew and his mother, who was raised in Laredo, TX, immigrated from Mexico when she was a child. Heskia says that despite his father encouraging his mother to vote, she has made it clear that she has no plans to do so.

"I don't really know if it's the Phoenix immigration laws that did it, but she definitely saw that as proof that no one at the top cares about what's important to her or her family," Heskia said. "Her mother and father, brother and sisters, they pretty much said they could care less what happens in November."

Only time will tell if this trend becomes a reality, but if Latinos exercise their powerful political influence by not voting, Democrats will be scrambling to fill those voting booths.