Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Political Science

Advisor/Mentor

Campos, Alejandra

Committee Member

Dowdle, Andrew

Second Committee Member

Devich, Claudia

Third Committee Member

Odabaei, Milad

Abstract

Latinos have had a growing presence in the South for years, leading it to be referred to as the “Nuevo South.” This thesis will examine Latino voter turnout in the South and the factors that influence them to show up at the polls. This study uses data from the Collaborative Multi-racial Post-Election Survey (CMPS) for 2016 and 2020. Through this data, I seek to understand why turnout is low and which factors impact turnout the most. I use rational choice theory to further understand how Latinos choose whether or not which considers the advantages and disadvantages of voting. Throughout this research, I found that factors such as electoral laws, voter education, and candidate representation all impact voter turnout among Latinos in the South. I also found that further research needs to be conducted to continue to understand the complexities of Latino voter behavior and how they can be addressed.

Keywords

Political Science; Latinos; Latino Voter Turnout

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