Minority Voting Rights - Walla Walla, WA

Page history last edited by galvaopa@whitman.edu 5 mos ago

 

Note: please note that this issue brief should (a) link back to the issue overview on this topic, (b) be focused either the local, state, national, or global level, and (c) be neutrally presented, based on facts, and include footnotes for each of the items.  See the Research Guide and Information Sources to assist you. 

 

 

 

Goal Statement

 

  • To increase Latino political participation and representation in local elected office in small rural communities such as Walla Walla, WA.

 

 

Scope of the Problem  

 

  • In the latest study conducted by NALEO for the state of Washington, in the 2006 general elections, Latinos lagged far-behind their non-Latino counterparts in terms of voter registration and participation rates. Only 48% of eligible Latino voters were registered to vote[1], compared to 72.8% of all eligible voters[2]. Similarly Latino turnout rates for the 2006 elections were far behind those of their non-Latino counterparts being only 40.3% of turnout as compared to 59.3%[3].  
  • The city of Walla Walla fits the general pattern of Washington State, as Latinos comprise 17.8% of Walla Walla’s population but only 2.5% of those who turned out on Election Day[4].
  • In Walla Walla, no Latinos who have run in contested elections between 2000-2007 won political office[5].
  • There is no outreach either by the county auditor or by political candidates[6]:
    • Save for voter registration forms, there are no bilingual elections materials even though 72% of Walla Walla’s Latinos speak Spanish at home and 41.4% speak English “less than well”[7].
    • The auditor's office, already the main local governmental record holding agency, is understaffed and underfunded to conduct outreach of any kind[8].
    • Latino political candidates fear a backlash by the non-Latino voters if they conduct Latino-specific outreach[9]

 

Current Policy 

  • There are no voter outreach programs in place in Walla Walla either by the county auditor or by local political candidates[10]. 
  • In the past the Democratic Party has conducted voter registration drives with the result of larger voter rolls but little turnout[11]
  • Other than voter registration forms, there are no bilingual voting materials. Currently, the county would need to provide such materials on a voluntary basis.[12]
 

 

Policy Options 

 

 

Both the county and political candidates SHOULD conduct outreach:

  • Latino candidates are key to increasing Latino participation, however if they do not conduct outreach, Latino turnout is likely to lag[13].

  • When the county undertakes Latino-specific, bilingual, voter outreach activities Latino turnout has been shown to increase by 5% [14].

 

The current at-large system of elections SHOULD change to either cumulative or limited voting:

  • The electoral system in Walla Walla requires that candidates win more than 50+1% of the vote to be elected, rendering virtually impossible for the Latino population (17.8% of the whole) to elect one of their own. [15]

  • In a study of jurisdictions with limited or cumulative voting election systems (with minority populations less than 50% of the total) Latinos were elected 70% of the time that they ran and African Americans 96% of the time [16].

     

Key Organizations/Individuals

Karen Martin, Walla Walla County Auditor:

Responsible for records, licensing and voting for Walla Walla County. Ms. Martin was instrumental in allowing me access to all the voter records to the county and answering all of my questions.

E-mail: kmmartin@co.walla-walla.wa.us

Phone: 509-524-2545 

County Courthouse

Second Floor, Room 201

315 West Main Street

PO Box 1856 

 

The State of the State for Washington Latinos: This is the continuously updated online repository for all the research concerning the State of the State for Washington Latinos. This report along with all previous years’ reports can be downloaded in full at www.walatinos.org.

 

Office of Sam Reed, Secretary of State for the State of Washington:

State office in charge of monitoring and regulating statewide elections. Contains statistics, voter registration forms, and general information for the state of Washington,

 

 

Glossary of Terms

  • Link here to the Minority Voting Rights

     overview page for the glossary of terms related to this issue brief 

 

Bibliography

 

Barreto, Matt E. 2007. “Si se Puede! Latino Candidates and the Mobilization of Latino Voters.” American Political Science Review 101: 425-441

David Brockington et al. 1998. “Minority Representation under Cumulative and Limited Voting.” The Journal of Politics 60: 1108-1125

 

Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 <www.walatinos.org>.

Jones-Correa, Michael. 2005. “Language Provisions Under the Voting Rights Act: How Effective Are They?” 86: 549-565

 

NALEO. 2006. Latino Vote in Washington: A Demographic and Political Profile of Latinos in Washington. NALEO Education Fund

 

US Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 2000. 2000 Census Washington: Department of Commerce. 

Washington State Office of the Secretary of State. 2007. Voter Registration ReportOlympia: Washington State Office of the Secretary of State.

 

 

Footnotes

  1. NALEO. 2006. Latino Vote in Washington: A Demographic and Political Profile of Latinos in Washington. NALEO Education Fund ▲
  2. Washington State Office of the Secretary of State. 2007. Voter Registration Report, Olympia: Washington State Office of the Secretary of State. ▲
  3. NALEO. 2006. Latino Vote in Washington: A Demographic and Political Profile of Latinos in Washington. NALEO Education Fund ▲
  4. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  5. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  6. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  7. US Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 2000. 2000 Census Washington: Department of Commerce. ▲
  8. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  9. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  10. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  11. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  12. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  13. Barreto, Matt E. 2007. “Si se Puede! Latino Candidates and the Mobilization of Latino Voters.” American Political Science Review 101: 425-441 ▲
  14. Jones-Correa, Michael. 2005. “Language Provisions Under the Voting Rights Act: How Effective Are They?” 86: 549-565 ▲
  15. Galvao, Pedro. "The Invisible Latino: A Study of the Electoral Politics of Walla Walla." State of the State for Washington Latinos. 06 Apr. 2009. Whitman College. 06 Apr. 2009 . ▲
  16. David Brockington et al. 1998. “Minority Representation under Cumulative and Limited Voting.” The Journal of Politics 60: 1108-1125 ▲

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