3 Ways to Reach Hispanic Voters
In the wake of the 2012 election, much has been said about the need for a fundamental shift in the way the GOP reaches out to Hispanic voters. While we couldn’t be happier to see clients like Congressman Steve Pearce making incredible strides to build relationships within the community, it’s hard to deny that there’s plenty of work to be done.
Gallup’s recent survey has made anecdotes about GOP Hispanic outreach even more compelling. Hispanic adults are more than twice as likely to identify Democratic than Republican. Since party identification is the number one indicator of vote choice, and Hispanics aren’t identifying as Republicans… well, you get where I’m going. We’re in trouble.
The Stoneridge Group prides itself on being experts at Hispanic voter contact (even when it hasn’t been at the forefront of the conversation, quite frankly). Our diverse clientele of conservative candidates have leaned on us to reach out to populations that their opponents, and even other Republicans may be neglecting. Below are some things we keep in mind when it comes to Hispanic voter contact:
1. Have a Bilingual Strategy – The message of freedom and opportunity is powerful. It’s even more powerful when it’s in a voter’s native language. Our firm employs native Spanish speakers who are available to translate print and digital projects seamlessly. By taking into account regional dialects, local speech patterns, and age group variations, our team is able to effectively communicate a message that moves voters. In house translation isn’t just a value add for our clients, it’s helped our entire firm understand the nuance of language and the strategies behind our Hispanic outreach. Check out the mail samples below from Mayor of Miami-Dade Carlos Gimenez’ recent election.
2. Know Your Audience – Every audience consumes media differently. It’s important to be aware of these differences and adjust your strategy accordingly. For instance, a study by Media Alliance showed that while Hispanics have the lowest percentage of access to broadband internet among voting groups, they have some of the highest consumption of mobile data. Knowing this fact should cause your Hispanic digital strategy to shift.
3. Collaborate With Experts – If the GOP is serious about fixing our problem within the Spanish-speaking community, anglo GOP consultants need to reach out to Hispanic GOP consultants. At Stoneridge, we’ve made it a point to collaborate and partner with Hispanic pollsters and media consultants who speak the language, understand the community, and can offer insights and strategies that make our voter contact more effective. There’s so much Hispanic talent within the ranks of the GOP that it’d be foolish not to partner up.
As the 2013-14 election cycle progresses, we hope to dive deeper into this topic. It is one that our firm is passionate about. We hope (for the sake of our party) that you are too.