This is according to a poll of 1,600 Latino voters across the state — part of the third annual Colorado Latino Policy Agenda survey, which national pollster Gabriel Sanchez has dubbed "one of the most robust polls" he's seen across the country.
“As the largest poll of Latino registered voters in the state, the Colorado Latino Policy Agenda provides a robust annual data set," says Sanchez, who led the polling as researcher for BSP Research. He spoke about the results of the poll during a webinar on Wednesday, September 13.
The Colorado Latino Policy Agenda bills itself as an annual, nonpartisan report meant to inform elected officials about the issues that matter most to the largest minority demographic in the state. Colorado has about 1.3 million Latino residents, or almost a quarter of the state's population.
Nearly half of the poll's respondents — 49 percent — identified as Democrats, while 22 percent identified as Republicans, and 28 percent as Independents. Governor Jared Polis earned a 59 percent approval mark.
"There are a lot of conversations nationally, driven by the states of Texas and Florida, that Latinos are perceived to be moving heavily to the right," Sanchez says. "Well, not so much in Colorado."
Much like in 2022, "economic concerns are the highest priority for Latinos" in Colorado, Sanchez notes, with a third of respondents saying that their financial situation has gotten worse this year.
"You see the economic strain that unfortunately too many of our families are facing across the state of Colorado," he continues. "Keep in mind, 2022 was a very difficult financial situation for Latinos in Colorado. Now one-third are seeing it getting worse."
Housing, specifically, has put a strain on Latino pocketbooks: More than a third of the Latinos polled said they "cannot afford" or "can barely afford" where they live. Only 23 percent said they feel comfortable with their rent and cost of living.
"Unfortunately, a large segment of the population are really feeling a housing crunch and not being able to afford their housing, whether it's rent or mortgages," Sanchez says. "Consequently, when we ask folks, 'Do you support a range of public policy issues intended to address protection for rents or affordable housing?,' you see overwhelming support."
As many as 75 percent of respondents supported ideas like requiring landlords to compensate residents if they kick them out, and creating legal protections against unjust evictions. "We see essentially the foundation for what you might think of as a renter's bill of rights — a set of policies aimed at ensuring that they're not being taken advantage of," Sanchez adds.
The issue has also prompted about 78 percent of survey respondents to support Proposition HH, aimed at reducing property taxes, and Proposition II, which concerns funding for preschool programs. Both will be on the statewide ballot on November 7.
The struggle for affordable housing ultimately led to more concerns for residents who fear they might be homeless as a result. A quarter of respondents said that homelessness is one of the top three issues that Colorado's leaders need to solve by offering shelters and services.
Gun violence was also a prominent concern in this year's survey, which found that 81 percent of respondents were concerned about mass shootings that target Latinos or immigrants. "Latinos are more likely to be victims of gun violence and have experiences with mass shootings than any other population in the state," according to Sanchez. "It's a bit of a wake-up call that we have to ensure the safety of our population as they look toward the ballot box."
A notable change in the concerns of Colorado Latinos from previous years is that fewer are worried about immigration reform, though it does remain a top concern.
Only 13 percent said that it's one of the three most important issues facing the federal government, though it does still rank as one of the top ten national issues in the eyes of respondents.
"Immigration overall [is] no longer the top-five issue that it once was in 2016, 2018 into 2020," Sanchez says. "It still remains a top-ten issue, and specifically protecting immigrant rights is still a priority."
Latinos are still in support of immigration reform at the federal level; 80 percent of poll respondents support giving undocumented immigrants citizenship if they've been working and paying taxes in the U.S. most of their lives. And if Congress fails to reform the current immigration system, 70 percent said they would support President Joe Biden using an executive order to protect undocumented immigrants from being deported.
"Latinos are highly supportive of commonsense policies that support the overall livability of immigrants who people perceive are part of their community," Sanchez explains. "Well over 50 percent support ensuring that these newcomers to our community pay their taxes, are law-abiding citizens, have the support that they need and are welcomed."
Another notable change this year is that more Latinos show support for abortion rights.
Sanchez predicts that in the upcoming election, abortion "will be a mobilizing force" for Colorado's Latino voters.
"It was not long ago that you would not see abortion or reproductive health anywhere near the top ten of issues," he adds. "As of 2022 and beyond, it's moved into the top-priority list for Latinos in Colorado just like it is nationally."
Latinos in this state don't appear to have much faith in the federal government, with 57 percent of respondents saying they believe the nation is on the wrong track. However, the majority trust leadership at the local level, as 53 percent said they believe the Centennial State is headed in the right direction.
“There’s much more perceived effectiveness at the state level,” Sanchez confirms. “The governor of Colorado gets high marks by Latino voters in the state, but whether we’re talking about the Colorado Assembly, Statehouse or Senate, city [or] town councilors or county commissions, again, Latinos are more supportive.”
