The number of Latinos in public positions in the US records a record in 2021

The number of latinos who hold public office in U.S has increased to a record in 2021, reported this Wednesday the Educational Fund of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

According to the national directory of this association, the number of Latino elected officials has increased 3% since 2020, from 6,883 to 7,087.

“While it is encouraging to see the growing number of Latino elected officials, we must also remember that the work to ensure equal representation is far from over,” warns NALEO Executive Director, Arturo Vargas, it’s a statement.

“We still have a lot to do to ensure that Latino communities across the country can elect leaders who are accountable and responsive to their concerns and needs,” adds Vargas on the occasion of the publication of the directory, created as a reference resource to understand the presence of Latinos in government.

Last year, the largest increase in Latino elected officials was registered in California (+10.4%, from 1,660 to 1,833) and the state of New York (+10.7%, from 168 to 186), indicates the list, which details their geographical distribution, the position they hold and in some cases their political affiliation.

The majority of Latino officials hold positions at the municipal level (2,349) or on school boards (2,668).

In a decade, between 2001 and 2021, the number of Latino elected officials grew 74.6% in the country (from 4,060 to 7,087), the report states.

Latino representation has more than doubled at all levels (state, judicial, and police officials or in district positions).

In 2001 there were no Latinos in the Senate American and in 2021, six. Twenty years ago there were 39 states with Latino representation in any office, compared to 45 states 20 years later.

In the two decades, a greater increase in women in public charges compared to men (they were 27% of civil servants in 2001 and 40% in 2021).

The number of Latinos in public office has decreased proportionally in states traditionally considered Hispanic population centers and increased in others with “emerging” Latino populations.