NY Primary: More than 1 in 8 New York Registered Voters Will Be Latino

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund today released a statement on the upcoming New York primary, offering analysis on the widespread role of Latinos in races across the state, including the Lieutenant Governor’s race. This year, the state will hold a June 28 primary for statewide and State Assembly contests and an August 23 primary for congressional and State Senate contests due to litigation over redistricting for New York’s congressional and state house lines. With the first New York Primary taking place next week, several political factors are shaping the landscape for the election, such as the recent redistricting. Additionally, in the days leading up to the second New York primary, NALEO Educational Fund will continue to release comprehensive insights into Latino voters and candidates across the Empire State. “Latinos are once again poised to play a critical role in this year’s primaries, both as candidates and voters,” said NALEO Educational Fund CEO Arturo Vargas. “The presence of Latino candidates on the ballot for prominent statewide offices is just one factor that may drive Latinos to the polls. Nevertheless, Latinos look beyond the race and ethnicity of candidates and will support those who take the community’s needs and priorities seriously. Our projections suggest that turnout in this year’s November midterm elections will likely mirror 2018’s historic numbers. Still, it is up to the candidates and their campaigns to help ensure that 2022 turnout meets or exceeds those projections.” Several factors will shape the political landscape for New York’s midterm elections, including the redistricting that followed Census 2020, the competitiveness of congressional and statewide contests, and the effectiveness of voter engagement efforts targeting the Latino community. Key Information Includes:

According to NALEO Educational Fund’s projections, more than 750,000 Latinos in New York will be casting ballots this November, mirroring turnout in 2018 and representing a 49.8 percent increase from 2014.
Two-thirds of Latinos are registered Democrats (67 percent), accounting for more than one of every six registered Democrats (17 percent) in the state. Thus, the Latino electorate will play a key role in the Democratic primary.
The high-profile statewide races for Lieutenant Governor and Comptroller will include prominent Latino candidates. For Lieutenant Governor, former U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (D), who was appointed to that statewide position in May, is seeking election for a full term and faces two competitive Latina challengers in the primary: former New York Councilmember Diana Reyna and community activist and former non-profit leader Ana Maria Archila. The victor of the Democratic Lieutenant Governor primary will face former New York City Police Deputy Inspector Alison Esposito (R).
In the race for Comptroller, finance professional Paul Rodriguez faces no opposition in the Republican primary, but in the general election, will have a tough contest in his bid to unseat incumbent Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli (D).

###

About NALEO Educational Fund NALEO Educational Fund is the nation's leading non-profit, non-partisan organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.