FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: lppipress@luskin.ucla.edu
New Polling Reveals Political Divide Between California Latina and Latino Voters
UCLA LPPI–UC Berkeley IGS analysis finds the largest gender differences among voters under 30 and those without bachelor’s degrees
LOS ANGELES (September 10, 2026) — California Latinas are more likely than Latino men to prioritize protecting immigrant communities, opposition to the White House agenda, and defending democracy and voting rights, according to a new brief from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI) and the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS). The poll asked registered voters how important each issue was when considering candidates for California governor.
The new brief is the second report in an LPPI–UC Berkeley IGS series examining California Latino registered voters ahead of the 2026 election. Using data from the May 2026 Berkeley IGS Poll of 1,912 Latino registered voters, the report finds that the gender divide is not uniform across the electorate: it is greatest among voters under 30 and those without bachelor’s degrees, and it narrows substantially among college graduates.
Among the key findings are:
- Protecting immigrant communities: 69% of Latinas say the issue is very important, compared with 52% of Latino men—a 17-percentage-point difference.
- The White House agenda: When asked about “fighting the Trump agenda,” 68% of Latinas say the issue is very important, compared with 51% of Latino men—also a 17-point difference.
- Democracy and voting rights: This issue receives the strongest support across both groups. It is very important to 87% of Latinas and 77% of Latino men—a 10-point difference.
“These findings show why California’s Latino registered voters cannot be understood as a single political constituency,” said G Cristina Mora, professor of sociology and co-director of IGS at UC Berkeley and co-author of the report. “Gender tells us part of the story, but the differences become much clearer when we also consider voters’ age and educational attainment. That more complete picture is essential to understanding the priorities of the Latino electorate.”
Largest gender differences emerge among voters under 30
Across all three issues, Latinas under 30 express greater concern than Latino men in the same age group. The differences are particularly pronounced on immigrant protections and the White House agenda:
- 88% of Latinas under 30 say protecting immigrant communities is very important, compared with 60% of Latino men—a 28-point difference.
- 82% of Latinas under 30 say fighting the Trump agenda is very important, compared with 52% of Latino men—a 30-point difference.
- 92% of Latinas under 30 say defending democracy and protecting voting rights is very important, compared with 74% of Latino men—an 18-point difference.
The results show that voters from the same generation do not necessarily share the same political outlook. Latinas under 30 consistently express the highest levels of concern across the issues examined, while Latino men of the same age assign them less importance.
Education further shapes the gender gap
The report also finds substantial differences among voters without bachelor’s degrees:
- On protecting immigrant communities, 73% of Latinas without a bachelor’s degree say the issue is very important, compared with 51% of similarly educated Latino men—a 22-point difference.
- On fighting the Trump agenda, 69% of Latinas without a bachelor’s degree say the issue is very important, compared with 50% of Latino men—a 19-point difference.
- On democracy and voting rights, 88% of Latinas without a bachelor’s degree rate the issue as very important, compared with 76% of Latino men—a 12-point difference.
By contrast, college-educated Latinas and Latino men express more similar views. The gender gap narrows to four points on protecting immigrant communities, seven points on fighting the Trump agenda and four points on defending democracy and voting rights.
The findings complicate broad narratives about the political attitudes of working-class Latino voters. Even among voters with similar levels of education, Latinas and Latino men can place substantially different importance on the same issues.
“Although this survey represents California registered voters, the patterns it identifies deserve national attention,” said Nicholas Vargas, associate professor of Chicanx/Latinx Studies in the UC Berkeley Department of Ethnic Studies and co-author of the report. “As both parties compete for Latino voters in races that will determine control of Congress, they should not assume that Latinas and Latino men—or voters of the same age and educational background—are responding to the political environment in the same way.”
Language reveals an additional distinction. Among English-dominant voters, Latinas are 20 points more likely than Latino men to prioritize both protecting immigrant communities and fighting the Trump agenda—68% compared with 48% on each issue. Among Spanish-dominant voters, the gender difference is only two points on both measures.
The study identifies several possible explanations for the differences, including the types of workplaces, community institutions, and information sources that connect Latinas and Latino men to political issues.
Read the full brief.
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About the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute
The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute is a non-partisan research institute that seeks to inform, engage, and empower Latinos through innovative research and policy analysis. LPPI aims to promote equitable and inclusive policies that address the needs of the Latino community and advance social justice. latino.ucla.edu.
About the Institute of Governmental Studies
The Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) is an interdisciplinary organized research unit that pursues a vigorous program of research, education, publication, and public service. A component of the University of California system’s flagship Berkeley campus, IGS is the oldest organized research unit in the UC system and the oldest public policy research center in the state. IGS’s co-directors are UC Berkeley Professors G. Cristina Mora and Eric Schickler.
