The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Oct. 30, 2026
Written & Produced by:
October 29, 2026 12:34 pmSAN ANTONIO, TX — Polling is showing more anxiety about the economy among Hispanic voters, compared to their White counterparts. As a result, 2026 early turnout figures are showing a surge in Hispanic voters over 2022 and 2024.
A September 2026 survey of likely Black and Hispanic voters by election data firm TargetSmart found that 61% of Hispanic voters under 35 say they are worse off than they were a year ago, compared with White voters at 48%. Among these voters of color, 74% were very concerned with rising prices and inflation and 94% very or somewhat concerned. In a Pew Research poll, 61% of Hispanic respondents say the situation of Hispanics in the U.S. is worse than it was a year ago, while only 11% say it’s better and 26% the same. But TargetSmart found that only 24% of respondents were very confident that the November 2026 election will be conducted fairly and accurately.
The good news is that the actual early turnout of Hispanic voters is high. In the 226 counties analyzed, Latinos were 7.73% of voters in early midterm voting as of Oct. 8th, compared with 2024’s 4.1% turnout in the timeframe. In Texas, the Hispanic vote shows a whopping 37% of the share of the early vote over 2022, and 44% in California.
We’ve linked to the research at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources
Target Smart – Beyond the Ballot: What’s Driving Black, Hispanic, and Young Voters
University of Florida Election Lab – 2026 Early Voting
Pew Research Center – How Latino Voters Are Experiencing the 2026 Midterm Elections
TIME – What Early Voting Data Is Showing About the Midterm Elections
Washington Post – (possible paywall) More than 39 million Americans have voted early, including many Hispanic voters
Texas Tribune – Texas early voting rate is slightly behind 2018, when Beto O’Rourke challenged Ted Cruz
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – Why People Don’t Vote Week: Surveys Show Many Nonvoters Don’t Think Their Vote Matters
Groups Taking Action:
League of United Latin American Citizens, Mi Familia Vota
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky Social, and SHARE!
Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org
Subscribe for FREE at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most podcasting platforms.
Are you a radio station? Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX
#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #LatinoVoters #VotoLatino #HispanicVoters #2026Midterms