Latino content creators are a missing voice when Democrats are speaking with Latino voters. That needs to change before it’s too late.
Latino voters have traditionally been one of the most loyal voting blocs in the Democratic coalition. Now, that support is dwindling. And overall trust in politicians is decreasing as we live under the threat of ICE showing up to immigration court appointments, places of work, and neighborhoods. How can Democrats get more Latino support for upcoming elections?
The Democratic Party should reach us by working with the sources we trust, who know how to communicate with us, who have spent years building online communities with us. That is the missing element.
The Stunning Outreach Gap
Here’s what should keep Democratic strategists up at night. According to a UnidosUS poll, nearly half of Latino voters, 45 percent to be exact, received absolutely no contact from either major party during the 2024 election. Though Democrats still have an edge with Latinos, Republicans have been steadily increasing their Latino outreach compared to previous election cycles.
When you consider that there are 36 million eligible Latino voters across the country, many of whom are completely untapped, effective engagement strategies will be a game-changer for 2026 and beyond.
Now is the time to act. Here’s how the Democrats can reach Latinos.
Acknowledge and Activate Non-Traditional Media Channels
Democrats should know which social media channels and platforms we engage in. According to Pew Research Center, Latinos are more likely than Black and white Americans to prefer social media for news consumption. We read reports of record spending from Democrats to reach Latinos via radio, TV, and digital ads. But the effort fell short—largely because the messages didn’t meet us where we spend most of our time.
Not only do Latinos use social media at high rates, but we engage with Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp more than white, Black, or Asian adults. Latinos are also the second-highest demographic using YouTube and TikTok.
When deciding where to pour advertising dollars, Democrats must dig in and understand that Latino media habits often are driven by age and acculturation.
Trust The Experts With Built-In Audiences
Meeting Latino voters where they are, not just in terms of platforms, also means considering format, language accessibility, and cultural relevance.
Let’s be honest: creating a “Latino Joe Rogan” or simply translating existing Democratic messaging into Spanish isn’t going to cut it. Latino audiences are already gathered around Latino voices they trust, people who’ve spent years building relationships with followers and subscribers. Why not work with those trusted Latino voices?
Content creators are driving discourse and engagement among millennials and Gen Zers—an important caveat since Latino voters tend to be younger than eligible voters overall.
We simply cannot ignore the Latino creators who have spent more than a decade building audiences that trust them and creating content that captures and keeps our attention—content Latinos can relate to.
Tailor Your Content Creator Program, Its Focus, and Language
Our Latinidad is not static. According to Pew Research Center, 81 percent of U.S. Latinos are U.S. citizens; immigrants are a declining share of the U.S. Latino population. The Democratic Party should take our acculturation into consideration when they choose content creator partners, and tailor messaging depending on which Latinos they’re trying to reach—Latinos are not a monolith.
Delivering messages in English or Spanish should always be anchored by the Latinos they’re trying to reach. While U.S.-born Latinos overwhelmingly prefer to get their news in English, those born outside of the United States mostly get their news in Spanish.
There’s 36 million of us eligible to vote, and we’re ready to be engaged.
Democrats should focus on consistent outreach to Latino voters and converting eligible voters into registered voters who can vote for Democratic values—for our working class. The Democratic Party should continue investing in paid media to reach Latinos, and add Latino content creators into strategies.
Communication is key. Failing to engage Latino voters in the channels we are on through sources we trust and with information we understand will mean more Democratic losses at the ballot box. We can all agree that that is not an option.
Sylvia Salazar is a bilingual political content creator and founder of Tono Latino, where she makes U.S. politics clear and engaging for a broad audience, with the goal of increasing Latino voter turnout.
Jocelyn Ocampo has more than a decade of experience working with content creators on behalf of community organizations, nonprofits, and global brands. She is currently vice president of content strategy at GPS Impact.
The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.
