Election 2008: What’s At Stake?

Newly-naturalized citizens register to vote in Denver

A key factor in a Barack Obama victory in Colorado, New Mexico, or Nevada will be his ability to turn out Latino voters.

One segment of the Latino population specifically targeted in registration drives is newly naturalized citizens. Grace Lopez Ramirez, director of the Colorado chapter of Mi Familia Vota, said new citizens are excited about voting for the first time and serve as effective and enthusiastic ambassadors to the broader Latino community. At a naturalization ceremony in May — the largest-ever in Denver’s history — Ramirez’s group registered 500 people in one hour. Though the number of newly naturalized citizens in any given year may seem small, taken across an election cycle it adds up: more than 27,000 people have become citizens in Colorado since the 2004 election.

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