November 1st, 2023
GALEO
Alba Villarreal
Director of Communications
678.691.1086
media@galeoimpactfund.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PUENTE PARA LA GENTE SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED
ECONOMY, JOBS, COST OF LIVING, PROTECTING IMMIGRANTS, AND HEALTH CARE AMONG THE TOP CONCERNS FOR GEORGIA LATINOS.
(Norcross, GA) – Today, GALEO and BSP Research released the results of the Puente para la Gente Survey, a comprehensive project aimed at capturing the needs of the Latino community in Georgia ahead of the 2024 elections.
Over the past few months, solicitations from the GALEO community survey resulted in 11,542 “click throughs”. Both BSP Research and GALEO deployed an identical instrument, with additional screeners included to the GALEO instrument to determine the familiarity of the respondent with the canvasser and data providing GALEO with the identification of each canvasser, as well as their partner organizations.
The results show that the top concerns for Latinos in Georgia are the economy, jobs, cost of living, protecting immigrants, and healthcare. Broken down, nearly half of Latinos in Georgia cite inflation and cost of living (47%) as the most important issue they want politicians in the state to address, followed by improving wages and jobs (35%) and lowering the cost of health care (30%). They are also concerned about community safety, as 1 in 4 Latinos are concerned about protecting immigrant rights and 1 in 5 want state leaders to address mass shootings and gun safety policy. Abortion rights has emerged in the community with greater salience. Following economic concerns, 17% cited women’s reproductive rights and abortion rights as a top issue in the community and 71% of Latinos said they strongly support passing a law guaranteeing access to abortion for people who need it.
“The significance of the recent survey results cannot be overstated. As we gear up for the 2024 elections, understanding that jobs, cost of living, immigrant protection, and healthcare are paramount to Latinos is essential. These insights are not just statistics; they are guides for our organizing efforts,” said Jerry Gonzalez, CEO of GALEO. “The remarkable growth in the Latino electorate, surging from 10,000 to 400,000, serves as a powerful testament to the rising influence of our community. The survey results highlight the priorities of our community, reflecting a shared aspiration for economic stability and social well-being.”
“Latinos in Georgia are pound for pound one of the most significant communities in American politics today. They have an opportunity to not only change how politics is done in Georgia, but the makeup of our federal government. They have already changed the calculus in the US Senate. Whoever can address their needs for a better economic future, access to health care, a better environment, and a good education for their kids, will unlock the opportunity for unprecedented change,” said Stephen Nuño-Perez, PhD, Senior Analyst/Pollster at BSP.
Below are the key takeaways from the BSP Sample:
Key Takeaways
Top Concerns in Order of Importance (Respondents could select up to 3)
- Rising cost of living / inflation: 47 percent
- Improving wages / creating more jobs: 35 percent
- Lowering the cost of health care: 30 percent
- Protecting immigrant right: 24 percent
- Mass shootings and gun safety policy: 20 percent
- Women’s reproductive and abortion rights: 17 percent
- Creating more affordable housing: 17 percent
- Combating climate change and pollution: 12 percent
- Lowering taxes: 11 percent
- Reducing crime: 9 percent
Support for policies
- Passing a law in Georgia that guarantees in-state college tuition for all students regardless of immigration status: 80 percent total support
- Passing a new voting rights act to ensure that all Americans can vote without barriers: 84 percent total support
- Passing a law in Georgia to make housing more affordable: 92 percent total support
- Passing a law in Georgia that protects renter’s rights: 88 percent total support
Economic hardships
Over the past 12 months, Latinos in Georgia experienced economic hardships including:
- Postponed medical care and/or dental care: 51 percent
- Took on a second job/side hustle: 47 percent
- Postponed paying certain bills: 47 percent
- Depended on credit cards to pay basic bills: 42 percent
- Seriously thought about leaving Georgia: 41 percent
- Skipped medications to save money: 37 percent
- Moved into a cheaper home/apartment: 35 percent
- Missed a payment on mortgage or rent: 30 percent
- Fundraised money from friends and family for personal expenses/needs: 29 percent
- Unable to pay student loans: 26 percent
- Withdrew from school for a semester or more due to cost: 23 percent
Climate Change
- 92 percent overall see the environment and environmental issues like pollution and global warming as important to them personally.
- 85 percent believe that taking action to deal with climate change should be an important priority for Georgia this year.
- 90 percent are concerned about climate change creating extreme weather and natural disasters impacting their family and friends in the US and Latin American countries.
- 45 percent said they or someone they know had to move because of the effects of climate change:
- Personally had to move: 12 percent
- Family members had to move: 20 percent
- Friends had to move: 13 percent
Methodology
On behalf of GALEO, BSP Research conducted a mixed mode survey of Latino adults in the state of Georgia from September 15th, 2023 to September 29th, 2023 with N=500 and a MOE ±4.4%. BSP Research also advised on a GALEO community survey project where their members, along with partners, collected 1,228 completed surveys between August 19th, 2023 and September 16th, 2023. GALEO employed a non-probability sampling method, focusing on community-building, mobilization, and outreach. GALEO’s deployment of the survey directed respondents to a survey instrument through a link distributed by members through text, email, and other digital solicitations, as well as in-person deployment. Data was collected by BSP Research. Weights were applied to reflect the population of Latino adults in Georgia, using known demographics from the US Census, ACS, and CPS data.
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