UCLA LPPI conducted a comprehensive analysis of all caucus voting locations across the state of Iowa to examine the voting patterns in high-density Latino cities and neighborhoods. The patterns reveal how the Latino electorate is growing and will continue to shape electoral outcomes.

Overview:

Latinos remain the largest and youngest population in the United States, and will prove to be pivotal in the 2020 Democratic primaries as the population ages into the electorate. For the 2020 Presidential Election, UCLA LPPI is analyzing the impact of voters of color, focusing on Asian American and Latino voters, on the electoral outcomes in states with large concentrations of non-white voters. This report is a UCLA LPPI comprehensive analysis of all caucus voting locations across the state of Iowa to examine the voting patterns in high-density Latino cities and neighborhoods. This study examines the vote preference of the high-density and majority-Latino caucus locations to better understand the impact of the Latino electorate on the 2020 Iowa caucuses. 

Key Findings:

• Latinos are Iowa’s largest non-white population group at 6%. 
• This analysis found a strong vote preference for Senator Bernie Sanders across the 32 high-density Latino caucus locations. Senator Bernie Sanders won an estimated 52 percent of the votes compared to 15 percent for Vice President Joe Biden, 14 percent for Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and 11 percent for Senator Elizabeth Warren. 
• Within the  12 majority-Latino caucus locations, our examination reveals that Senator Sanders won an estimated 67% of the vote. These locations represent 21.42 state delegates.  
• Between 2004 and 2020, Iowa experienced a 375 percent increase in the number of Latino eligible voters and a 346 percent increase in Latino registered voters.
• This increase is driven by Iowa-born Latinos who are aging into the electorate, many of whom have immigrant parents. 
• Iowa experienced a 346 percent increase in the number of Latino registered voters between 2004 to 2020.