Research
ABOUT | METHODOLOGY | KEY FINDINGS | LATINO VOTER PERCEPTIONS OF THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN ARIZONA | THE OPEN PRIMARIES INITIATIVE | PROFILE OF THE ARIZONA LATINO VOTER | CONTACT
Arizona Latino Survey : An Appetite for Reform
About
Open Primaries is a movement of diverse Americans who believe in a simple, yet radical idea: no American should be required to join a political party to exercise his or her right to vote.
The mission of Open Primaries is to advocate for open and nonpartisan primary systems, counter efforts to impose closed primaries, educate voters, train and support spokespeople, and participate in the building of local, state and national open primaries coalitions.
Methodology
Study of Arizona Latino Voters Methodology Statement
The Open Primaries - Arizona Latino Voter Study was a survey of 1500 Latino Registered Voters conducted from November 6th through November 15th, 2015 by Bendixen & Amandi International. The 1500 completed interviews were equally divided between high frequency voters (defined as those who had participated in 3 or 4 of the last 4 elections) and low frequency voters (defined as those who had participated in 0, 1 or 2 of the last 4 elections) and were further divided in each group to properly represent Latino voter registration in each of Arizona’s 9 Congressional Districts. Registered Democrats, Republicans and Independent voters were all included in the sample.
The sample selection process for this study was a representative random sample of registered Latino voters using a nth sample selection process including both landlines and cell phones across the Arizona database of registered voters. The process for selecting Latino registered voters from these voter files is extremely accurate. The respondents were interviewed by professionally trained bi-lingual interviewers and were provided with language of choice interviewing either to have the survey conducted in English or Spanish. This study has a margin of error of +/- 2.5% at a 95% level of confidence.
Respondents were advised that the survey is being conducted by an independent research organization and that we will not attempt to sell anything to them. Additionally, respondents were advised that all responses are kept strictly confidential and none of the answers they provided will be attributed to them personally or associated with their name or personal information. All respondents were screened to ensure that they were Latino, over the age of 18 and registered to vote.
Key Findings
- Latino voters in Arizona are disillusioned with the state of politics. 75% believe that elected officials are mainly loyal to their party, not their constituents. 93% support changes to the electoral system that would foster more accountability. 90% of Latinos think their community needs new strategies and new ways of empowerment.
-
Latino voters are aware of the growing trend toward independence in their community (41% of Arizona Latinos are now registered to vote as independents). 63% of Arizona Latinos and 77% of those 18-34 believe it’s smart for Latinos to register as Independents so that the community is not tied to one party or the other. 81% of Latinos believe they should not be exclusively loyal to any political party.
-
75% of Arizona Latinos support an open primaries initiative and would be more likely to vote for candidates and elected officials that did the same. 81% would be more likely to vote in 2016 if open primaries were on the ballot and 81% of Latino voters in Arizona would be more likely to vote in future elections if an open primaries initiative became law.
Latino Voter Perceptions of the Political Landscape in Arizona
Do you think your elected officials in the state legislature and in Congress are mainly loyal to their community or mainly loyal to the political party they belong to?
Would you support changes to our election system that would foster elected officials being more loyal and accountable to the voters?
Do you think we need new strategies and new ways for empowerment?
The Open Primaries Initiative
41% of Latinos in Arizona registered to vote as Independents. It is smart that Latinos in Arizona register as Independents so that the community is not tied exclusively to one party or the other. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
By Party
By age
Latinos should not be exclusively loyal to any political party, but force politicians from all parties to pay attention to the issues facing the Latino community and then deliver on what they promise. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
There is a proposal being considered to change Arizona’s election system to a single primary election in which all candidates compete on the same ballot and all voters get to participate- Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. The two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, who receive the most votes in the primary go on to the general election. This “Top Two” initiative would ensure that all candidates and all voters, regardless of party affiliation, can participate in the primary round.
Would you support or oppose this initiative?
Initial Response
Initial Response By Party
Would you be more or less likely to vote for a local legislative or Congressional candidate if you know they supported making Arizona elections nonpartisan and allowing all voters to participate in all rounds of voting?
If the proposal to make primary elections in Arizona non-partisan, were on the ballot in November 2016, would you be more likely or less likely to vote in that election?
If the proposal to make primary elections in Arizona non-partisan, were to become law, would you be more likely or less likely to vote in future primary elections?
Profile of the Arizona Latino Voter
Age
Gender
What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
What is your total annual household income before taxes?
How long have you lived in Arizona?
Congressional District
Do you consider yourself to be conservative, moderate, or liberal?
Contact
For more information contact:
Fernand R. Amandi
Principal
Bendixen & Amandi International
305.529.9916