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Traditional studies of political participation assume an electoral environment in which voters decide between two White candidates, and find Latino citizens less politically engaged. Given the growth in the number of Latino candidates for office over the past 20 years, this article tests whether ethnicity impacts Latino voting behavior. I argue that the presence of a Latino candidate mobilizes the Latino electorate, resulting in elevated voter turnout and strong support for the co-ethnic candidates. Although some research provides a theoretical basis for such a claim, this article brings together a comprehensive body of empirical evidence to suggest that ethnicity is salient for Latinos and provides a coherent theory that accounts for the empowering role of co-ethnic candidates. Analysis of recent mayoral elections in five major U.S. cities reveals that Latinos were consistently mobilized by co-ethnic candidates.
In an extensive review of research on Chicano voting behavior, Garcia and Arce (1988) argue that no consensus exists on whether ethnicity impacts voting patterns. They note, "strong cultural attachments have been found to be associated with either political isolation and distance, or heightened ethnic group consciousness and politicization . . . [and] current research efforts are still sorting out their directional effects" (130). Almost 20 years later, there exists a widespread assumption that the directional effects have been sorted out: ethnic voting persists among Latinos and ethnic attachment results in greater political participation. However, there is no nationally representative research that validates this claim.
This article tests whether ethnicity impacts Latino1 voting behavior. Given the notable increases in Latino voters and Latino candidates for office, a looming question remains: do Latinos follow an ethnic voting model that emphasizes shared ethnicity and ethnic candidates, or do they follow a strictly Downsian cost-benefitanalysis model to voting? More than 40 years ago, Wolfinger noted in this journal that "the most powerful and visible sign of ethnic political relevance is a fellowethnic's name at the head of the ticket" (1965, 905). Whereas some scholars provide a strong theoretical basis for such a claim (Fraga 1988; Hero 1992), no comprehensive body of empirical evidence has been amassed2 to suggest that ethnicity is salient for Latinos, and no coherent theory exists that accounts for the empowering role of co-ethnic candidates.
During the 1960s...
