Participation in Politics

Gregory Rodriguez (Opinion, Jan. 11) asserts that the cause of low Latino political and community participation is cultural characteristics that reduce Latino interest in U.S. electoral politics. In the modern era (the period since the extension of the Voting Rights Act to Latinos in 1975), lower rates of Latino electoral participation can be explained without looking to cultural differences.

Latino nonparticipation is a function of high rates of non-U.S. citizenship and demography, particularly lower-than-average household incomes, lower-than-average levels of formal education and relative youth. Latino participation and nonparticipation, thus, are shaped by the same factors that shape Anglo and African American participation. Although it is of little comfort to Latino leaders seeking to awaken the “sleeping giant,” when these citizenship and demographic factors are controlled for statistically, Latinos would vote at rates comparable to Anglos.

Rodriguez does a disservice to Latinos who have fought for equal rights and have overcome demographic barriers to participate by offering a culture as an explanation. The scholarly evidence suggests that Latinos are engaged in U.S. politics and want to participate. Among all U.S. ethnic and racial populations, however, the better situated and older are more likely to be able to participate.

LOUIS DeSIPIO, Asst. Prof.

Dept. of Political Science

University of Illinois

Urbana, Ill.