Hispanics growing in numbers, voting

BOISE – Idaho’s Hispanic community is youthful, growing and registered to vote in ever-larger numbers, according to a new report that indicates the state’s largest minority group could play a larger role in public affairs in years to come.

The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs will introduce the report today at the Capitol, marking the second time it has collected the data from sources including the U.S. Census. The first was in 2005.

Over the past four years, the state’s Hispanic population has increased by 22,000 people, or 22 percent, compared with a 6.5 percent rise in the non-Hispanic population. Hispanics now number more than 121,000 in the state, or nearly 9 percent of the population.

Nearly 43 percent of Idaho Hispanics are younger than 19, and their median age is 23, compared with 35 for whites.

The number of Hispanic registered voters increased to 19,000 in 2004, the latest year available, from 14,000 in 2002.

Hundreds of thousands of Latino and Hispanic people across America, including in Idaho, marched last April in support of a federal overhaul of America’s immigration policies. Leaders here say the activism shows the group carries the potential of asserting itself – and eventually wielding significant influence – in matters of public policy.

“One of our goals has been really trying to support the Latino vote,” commission Director Margie Gonzalez said Wednesday. “We want to educate people on the importance of their voice being heard. The more we can get people educated, the stronger voice they are going to have at the public policy level.”

Last week, for instance, Hispanic community leaders testified before the Senate State Affairs Committee in favor of a proposal calling for campaign reforms that they said would open politics to more minorities. The measure failed, but the speakers said they’ll be back.

And last September, Gonzalez’s agency, in cooperation with other groups, held a candidate forum at the Nampa Civic Center, gathering four candidates for their representatives for governor and two for Idaho superintendent of schools.

“It was the first time a minority group (in Idaho) had become organized prior to elections,” Gonzalez said.

Despite gains made by Hispanics, Gonzalez said some troubling inequities remain.

For instance, nearly a third of Hispanics live below the federal poverty line, compared with just 12 percent of whites. The median household income for Hispanics was just $27,292 – two-thirds the level of their white counterparts who, on average, make nearly $41,000.

And although Hispanic people make up about 9 percent of Idaho’s total 1.4 million population, they represent nearly 16 percent of those behind bars on crimes including drug dealing.

They lag white peers in schools, where those in the 3rd and 10th grades trail their non-Hispanic counterparts in reading, language and math.