This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters¹ and other major groups of eligible voters in Hawaii.² All demographic data are based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in Hawaii’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Hawaii ranks 39th in the nation.⁴ About 121,000 Hispanics reside in Hawaii, 0.2% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Hawaii’s population is 9% Hispanic, ranking 21st in Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 71,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii—ranking 31st in Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
• Some 7% of Hawaii eligible voters are Hispanic, the 12th largest Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
• Nearly six-in-ten (58%) of Hispanics in Hawaii are eligible to vote, ranking Hawaii second nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, more than more than eight-in-ten (84%) of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. More than one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii (35%) are ages 18 to 29, similar to the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 21% of all Hawaii eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii, 11% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. and 14% of all eligible voters in Hawaii, but just 8% of eligible voters in the U.S overall.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Fewer than three-in-ten (28%) Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii are of Mexican origin, 34% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 38% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, six-in-ten (59%) are Mexican, only 14% are Puerto Rican, and about a quarter (26%) are of some other Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. About one-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Hawaii (12%) have not completed high school, slightly more than the 8% of all Hawaii eligible voters who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. Less than half of Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii (45%) live in owner-occupied homes, less than the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (58%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in Hawaii (63%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Hawaii, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. Asian eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii by more than 5 to 1 and white eligible voters outnumber Hispanics by more than 3 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white and Asian eligible voters in Hawaii. Some 35% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 21% of white eligible voters and 14% of Asian eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Hawaii. Some 12% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 4% of white eligible voters. A similar share of Asian eligible voters (11%) has not completed high school.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (45%) are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (54%) or Asian (76%) eligible voters in Hawaii.