By Jennifer Hernandez on August 1st, 2024The Latine vote has influenced recent U.S. elections, shaping outcomes in key states like Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas. In the 2020 presidential election, Latine voters played a significant role in favor of President Biden. In the 2022 midterms, Republicans made gains in the House, shifting the balance of power. Governor Ron DeSantis gained overwhelming support in Florida, and Latino voters in Arizona influenced election outcomes. This highlights the growing influence of the Latine vote in U.S. politics.
With Biden not continuing his bid for reelection and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the democratic nominee, recent polls indicate a close race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
In a highly anticipated Economist/YouGov poll, Harris leads Trump by two points, 46% to 44%, in a five-way contest. However, other polls show conflicting results, with Trump leading Harris in several instances. This variation in poll results underscores the uncertainty and competitiveness of the upcoming election, which is only slightly over three months away, making the projected 36 million eligible Latine voters.
In the local arena, Philadelphia’s 100th mayor, Cherelle Parker, is working to implement the changes she promised during her campaign, though she has already faced numerous challenges. The city grapples with crimes; as of August 1st, there have been 155 homicides in 2024, a positive 37% decrease from 2023, safety issues and economic instability, with 1 out of 5 residents still living below the poverty line, at the same time the Latine community continues to grow and transform the city.
To provide much-needed coverage for underrepresented communities, Inti Media is joining the second iteration of the Every Voice, Every Vote Coalition to provide in-depth coverage of critical community issues, public safety, affordable housing, and economic opportunities that significantly impact the Latine, Black, and Brown communities in Philadelphia. Inti Media will facilitate essential conversations with underrepresented communities and produce short documentaries, social media content, and multilingual investigative and solutions-focused articles to increase Latine voter engagement and hold political figures accountable.
The coalition has provided $2.875 million in grants to 71 Philadelphia media and community organizations. These organizations, which include local newspapers, radio stations, and grassroots community groups, will work on journalism and civic engagement projects to connect residents to local government and track the progress of the city’s new administration. To learn more about the coalition and its partners, visit Every Voice Every Vote website.
This content is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 is provided by the William Penn Foundation with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, and Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.