Renowned experts gather to discuss Latino voters’ voting attitudes and patterns

Washington, DC –Latinos are the fastest growing major segment of the U.S. population; consequently, their electoral participation stands to have a profound effect on the policy direction of our country in the years and decades to come. Despite this dynamic, there is a great deal of misinterpretation about the precise contours of the Latino electorate and the issues that resonate with them. To delve into these important and timely topics, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and the Center for American Progress will convene a group of nationally renowned experts who will discuss the demographics, registration and voting patterns, and the multitude of issues that motivate Latino voters.

Friday, February 16, 2007, 9:00am – 12:00pm
Breakfast will be served at 8:30 AM

Welcoming Remarks:

Dan Restrepo, Director, The Americas Project, Center for American Progress

Session I: The Nature, Size, and Potential of the Latino Electorate

Luis Fraga, Associate Professor of Political Science, Stanford University and co-principal investigator, Latino National Survey
Gary Segura, Associate Professor, University of Washington, and co-principal investigator, Latino National Survey
Clarissa Martinez De Castro, Director, State Policy & Advocacy, National Council of La Raza
Ruy Texeira, Joint Fellow, Center for American Progress & The Century Foundation

Moderator:
Geri Mannion, Chair, Strengthening U.S. Democracy Program, Carnegie Corporation of NewYork

Session II: Resonant Issues in the Latino Electorate

Sergio Bendixen, CEO, Bendixen & Associates
Tamar Jacoby, Senior Fellow, The Manhattan Institute
Celinda Lake, President, Lake Research Partners
Lionel Sosa, CEO, Mexicans & Americans Thinking Together (MATT.org)

Center for American Progress
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Washington, DC 20005

Nearest Metro: Blue/Orange Line to McPherson Square or Red Line to Metro Center