MEDIA STATEMENT
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Contact: Andrea Arenas: aarenas@lclaa.org

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement celebrates Latino voters’ engagement in this year’s critical midterm elections. More than 29 million Latinos were eligible to vote, that is 4 million more than in the 2014 elections. Among young people, voter turnout was exceptionally high, and even before Election Day, 125 percent more ballots had been casted than in the midterm elections of 2014.

This year’s election comes at a time when most of our sisters and brothers have seen, or even experienced a series of attacks coming from the current administration; from Inhumane immigration policies aimed at separating families, and racial profiling, to minimum wage and overtime violation laws perpetrated against Latinos, immigrants, and working families. 

Yet amid this climate of bigotry coming from the White House, diversity has prevailed and is currently celebrating a significant victory. Voters elected a record number of women to Congress. Women have never held more than 84 of the 435 seats in the House, however the next Congress will have more than 100 female legislators. This elections also witnessed a number of “firsts”; the first Native American women in Congress, first Muslim women in Congress, the youngest woman elected to Congress, and the first Latinas elected to Congress in Texas. 

Significant ballot initiatives were also passed, some of the most noteworthy were: Florida passed Amendment 4, which is poised to restore the voting rights of over 1.5 million disenfranchised Floridians. Colorado residents voted to remove allowing slavery as a form of punishment from their State Constitution, Michigan approved a plan for automatic voter registration and Maryland voted in favor of allowing same day voter registration. 

“These midterm elections will give our nation a new direction, which will include respect for civil and human rights. These election results have also opened the door for 117 women, who will now help shape our country,” said Yanira Merino, LCLAA National President. “We must continue to work toward achieving more victories like the one we had on Tuesday night, and to expand the electorate by sending out our message to new voters.”

“Last night’s elections marked a series of milestones: from the election of women to significant positions of power, to the rejection of Kris Kobach as Governor of Kansas” Said Hector Sanchez Barba, LCLAA Executive Director. “The results speak for themselves, the majority of Americans have said NO to voter suppression and to extremist political figures that have an anti immigrant position. People have voted against hate, against racism and in favor of diversity and plurality. Let’s take this energy all the way to the next presidential election and choose a President that cares about the priorities of working families.”

LCLAA is particularly grateful to all its members who were civically engaged, helping others get to the polls or volunteering at polling stations. Si se puede!