I know you mean well but please don't add more fuel to the fire on undocumented workers. We already have enough anti-immigrant sentiment in the state as it is. We have one Texas Representative in particular (Leo Berman) that thinks undocumented workers cause every evil thing in the world - including leprosy. I can't wait to hear him spew his racist hate on the swine flu which I'm sure he will pin squarely on the undocumented workers from Mexico.
:sarcasm:
This is a really nice study site courtesy of George Mason University on the 2008 Election Turnout.
2008 General Election Turnout RatesIt includes the percentage of non-eligible voters broken down by non-citizen and ineligible felons. While Texas does have a high estimate of non-citizens, it's comparable with our population. California, Nevada and Florida have high rates as well.
Notice that our VEP (voter eligible population) which removes the non-citizens and ineligible felons still produces the second to the lowest turnout in the country.
In Texas former felons are allowed to vote as long as they are "off paper". Once they have served their sentence and finished their parole requirements they have their full voting rights restored. Although the state won't bother to inform them of this. Perry prefers they didn't know about it anyway. They won't be voting for him that's for sure.
The Republicans really like Texas being a low voter turnout state. They don't want voters electing their representatives, they like for the office holder to choose their voters. Hence the re-redistricting and poor voter education we get in this state and the call for photo ID to reduce it even further. :grr:
The point I'm making is that it is not the undocumented workers who contribute in any way to the low voter turnout in this state. Even if their numbers get included in the voting age population. We have plenty of eligible U.S. citizens who just don't bother to vote.
I don't have the solution, I just agree that there has not been a candidate or an organized effort by the party to engage the Latino community. If a bunch of celebrities organized some shows and encouraged them to vote, they might do it.
Right now though, a lot of them don't see the point.
Sonia