Long considered a sleeping giant of the electorate by many, Latino voters in California are increasingly flexing political muscle at the ballot box — a development possibly sparked by President Donald Trump’s rhetoric against undocumented immigrants.

During the 2018 November midterm election, the eligible turnout rate for Latinos (the percentage of adult citizens who voted) was 35.9 percent — an 18.6 percent increase from the 2014 midterm election, according to data released by the University of Southern California’s Civic Engagement Project.

Mindy Romero, a research assistant professor and director of the California Civic Engagement Project at USC, said in Fresno County, the total voter turnout was 41.5 percent, and for Latinos eligible to vote, it was 30.3 percent. Statewide, the total voter turnout was 50 percent. Read more