Download FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: KEVEN KENNEDY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2016
CONTACT: KEVEN KENNEDY
202.276.3159, [email protected]
New Latino Decisions Poll Shows an Electoral Price to Pay for Ignoring Latino Community’s Concerns
about Climate Change, Air Pollution and Other Public Health Dangers
WASHINGTON, DC – According to a new Latino Decisions poll, over 70 percent of Latinos deeply care
about the environment and how it impacts their families. This finding is in direct contrast to the
assumption that working class and Latino communities are disinterested in environmental issues.
“What this national survey reveals is the depth of concern that exists in the Latino community for the
disproportionate impacts they're feeling from climate change and other public health threats and that
concern is driving deep support for policy action to protect public health,” said Edward D. Vargas, Senior
Analyst at Latino Decisions. “The survey shows that Latinos are not only an important and potent voting
bloc, but that climate, clean energy and environmental issues are an important factor in their decisions
at the voting booth."
Key national takeaways include:

87% of Latinos believe it is important that the President and new Congress take steps to pass
legislation to aggressively combat global warming or climate change.

93% of Latinos find it important that the President and Congress take steps to reduce smog
and pollution.

91% of Latinos find it important that the next President and new Congress take steps to
develop clean energy sources like wind and solar power.

And while we did find that partisanship matters on environmental policy (in that Republicans
are less likely to support combating global warming than Democrats or Independents) even here
there is strong majority support, with 62% saying it is at least somewhat important to address
climate change.

Latinos views slightly differ by generational status as more recently arrived individuals are
more likely to support combating climate change.

96% of first time voters believe it is important for the next President and new Congress to
combat global warming and climate change.
These results are even stronger in North Carolina. State specific polling found the following:

In North Carolina, 89 percent think it’s important that the President-elect and new congress
pass a bill to combat climate change.

77 percent of North Carolinians support candidates who want to reduce dangerous carbon
pollution and invest in a clean energy economy.

In North Carolina, 96 percent support candidates who will protect public health by reducing
smog and other air pollution.

77 percent of North Carolinians think it’s very or extremely important that President-elect
Trump and the next Congress take action to increase use of clean energy with another 18
percent thinking it’s at least somewhat important.
Study Methodology:
National sample N=3,100 (MoE +/-1.8%), 7 state samples (MoE +/-4.9%) (AZ, CO, FL, NC, NV, OH, VA).
Completed interviews by landline, cell and on-line with Latino registered voters in English and Spanish
at respondent’s discretion; from November 4-7, 2016. Respondents are extreme-high-propensity
voters screened on vote history, or newly registered, and queried self-report of intention to vote (or
having voted). Randomly drawn from representative statewide sample, and then weighted to match
census demographics
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