Big push across the DMV to get Latino voters to the polls
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - With just over a month before the November election, there’s a big push across the DMV to get Latino voters to the polls, highlighting the importance of the Latinx vote in 2020.
While undocumented people and DACA recipients are not eligible to vote, that’s not stopping them from mobilizing and going door-to-door to get their communities ready and educated.
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"I'm a DACA recipient, I can't vote, but we want people who are able to vote to do so because of the importance of it. Our community has been targeted by this administration and in order to change this, they need to go out and vote... sometimes I feel I'm not making progress, but I am making a difference," said Nayeli Lopez.
Lopez is a DACA recipient who came into the U.S. at the age of 14. She’s one of dozens of volunteers in Virginia urgently going around to inform Latino voters on where their polling place may be, how to fill out a ballot, providing education on candidates both on the local and state level and for the presidential race.
Lopez says they connect with about 80 to 100 families a day, but it’s not easy to reach Latino voters during a global pandemic that has paralyzed much of their neighborhoods. Leaders say this election the issues that matter most: economy, health care and COVID-19.
"Being where we are with coronavirus, economically and health wise... and the limited resources we've been able to receive.. this is why this election is so important. Our future is at stake.. it's about where we want this country to go the next 4 years, next decade," said William Renderos, Elections manager at Casa in Action.
Renderos points out that many Latino families, including U.S. citizens, never received a federal stimulus check, because they lived in a household or are married to someone who is undocumented.
So financially he says they are struggling and now with kids back in school virtually, the lack of resources and technology is another issue that's highlighting how COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting their communities.
According to a Pew Research Center survey that was conducted between July and August, strong majorities of Hispanic registered voters say the economy, healthcare, and the COVID-19 outbreak are the most important issues.
The study also found that for Hispanic women more so than men, immigration is very important when it comes to who gets their vote for president.
Next Thursday, Casa in Action is holding a rally in Virginia for those who want to come out and learn how to mobilize friends and family to vote. For info: https://casainaction.org/take-action/
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is holding a virtual event Tuesday at 4 p.m. on the importance of the Latinx vote in 2020. The event will be livestreamed on Norton's Facebook page at facebook.com/CongresswomanNorton