Study: More Latinos Get Elected to Office

An Associated Press reporter in Houston, Texas called me today to comment on the growing number of Hispanic election officials across the nation. The piece, excerpted below, is a walk-up to the annual convention of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appoined Officials.

Study: More Latinos Get Elected to Office

By ANABELLE GARAY, The Associated Press

Wednesday, June 21, 2006; 9:01 PM

DALLAS -- Latinos have increased their presence at all levels of government over the last decade, with more than two of every five serving in Texas, a Hispanic political group reported.

At the start of this year, 5,132 Hispanics were in elected office around the country _ a 37 percent increase from 1996, when 3,743 Latinos held elected posts.

The results were part of a study announced Wednesday in Dallas to kick off the annual convention of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

"It's in everyone's interest, it's in every party's interest, to cultivate the number of Hispanic elected officials," said Adam J. Segal, director of the Hispanic Voter Project at Johns Hopkins University.

Latino elected officials now hold office in 43 states, but a whopping 42 percent of them call Texas home. Most other Latino officials represent areas with large Hispanic populations, such as California, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Illinois, the study said.

Click [here] for the full article.