UNM professor speaks to members of Congress about Latino voting rights

As the November election approaches, it is important to consider a wide range of obstacles impacting Americans' access to cast their ballot across the country, ranging from photo-ID requirements in some states, misinformation aimed at confusing voters, and the fear of potential violence at polling locations. University of New Mexico Professor Gabriel Sanchez says all of these issues are more likely to impact Latino voters than voters from other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

To address these issues, Sanchez says the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) created a panel of experts and advocates to help inform Congress on what actions they can take to make voting easier for Latino voters. New Mexico Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández asked Sanchez to participate in the roundtable on September 24, 2024, at the United States Capitol.

During the discussion, Sanchez stressed the importance of protecting voting rights for the Latino voting population, noting that this issue has remained among the top tier of policy priorities for Latino voters from 2020 till now. Sanchez also noted that nearly all Latino voters, regardless of party, support the passage of a new Voting Rights Act, federal legislation that prohibits racial discrimination in voting, to ensure all eligible Americans can vote without barriers.

Sanchez reminded Congress that while a growing number of Latinos support the passage of photo-ID laws, driven by concerns about voting integrity, there is no evidence of voter fraud that these laws would address. Furthermore, Sanchez referenced his work as an expert witness across numerous photo-ID court cases to show Congress that these laws disproportionately impact Latinos who are less likely to possess the forms of ID required in most states that require them to vote.

Several members of Congress attended the event including Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffriesand Congresswoman Leger Fernándezwho noted Sanchez's expertise in voting rights and healthcare policy. Sanchez is a University of New Mexico Political Science professor and the executive director of UNM's Center for Social Policy.