This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters1 and other major groups of eligible voters in Louisiana.2 All demographic data are based on Pew Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey.3

Hispanics in Louisiana’s Eligible Voter Population

Population and Electorate in the United States and Louisiana, 2012
  • The Hispanic population in Louisiana is the 31st largest in the nation. About 207,000 Hispanics reside in Louisiana, 0.4% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • Louisiana’s population is 5% Hispanic, the 39th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
  • There are 94,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Louisiana—the 29th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
  • Some 3% of Louisiana eligible voters are Hispanic, the 35th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
  • Some 45% of Hispanics in Louisiana are eligible to vote, ranking Louisiana 22nd nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 78% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Louisiana and the United States, 2012
  • Age. About three-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Louisiana (28%) are ages 18 to 29, somewhat lower than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 23% of all Louisiana eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Louisiana, 25% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is on par with the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. who are naturalized U.S. citizens, but just 2% of all eligible voters in Louisiana and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall.
  • Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Louisiana have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Some 36% of Hispanic eligible voters in Louisiana are of Mexican origin, 9% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 55% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, 59% are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and 27% are of some other Hispanic origin.
  • Educational Attainment. Some two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Louisiana have not completed high school, slightly higher than the 17% of all Louisiana eligible voters who have not completed high school and about the same as the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
  • Homeownership. Some 56% of Hispanic eligible voters in Louisiana and of Hispanic eligible voters nationwide live in owner-occupied homes. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Louisiana (68%) and eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Louisiana, by Race and Ethnicity

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Louisiana and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012
  • Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Louisiana by 23 to 1, and blacks outnumber Hispanics by about 11 to 1. There are more than twice as many Hispanic eligible voters (94,000) as Asian eligible voters (36,000) in Louisiana.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white eligible voters in Louisiana. Some 28% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29 compared with 20% of white eligible voters. Hispanic eligible voters are about equally likely as black eligible voters and Asian eligible voters (both 27%) in Louisiana to be younger than 30.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do white and Asian eligible voters in Louisiana. Some 20% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 13% of white eligible voters and 14% of Asian eligible voters. However, a nearly equal 22% of Hispanics and 24% of whites have a bachelor’s degree or more. Asians (36%) have a higher share of college graduates. Black eligible voters in Louisiana are more likely than all other racial or ethnic groups to have less than a high school diploma (25%) and are least likely to be college graduates (12%).
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (56%) are similarly likely to live in owner-occupied homes as black eligible voters (53%) in Louisiana, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (76%) or Asian (72%) eligible voters.