Latinos have already been touted to be the second-largest ethnic group eligible to vote in November, but now a new study finds the younger demographic may prove to be a deciding factor on Election Day.

In partnership with BuzzFeed News, Telemundo released “Young Latinos: A Generation of Change,” an in-depth study into a segment of one of the nation’s fastest — and most influential voting blocs.

Every 30 seconds, a young Latino in the U.S. turns 18. What this study found is their votes count more than ever. Yes, The 2020 presidential election could be the first time Latinos vote in unprecedented numbers, but their influence will come only if they do.

Thankfully, this new research shows there is a real driving force within the demographic, fueled by the youth.

“This new research shows that young Latinos, the majority of which are U.S. born and politically engaged, intend to go to the polls in November at unprecedented levels,” said Mónica Gil, executive vice president and chief administrative and marketing officer at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. 

“With one million young Latino voters becoming eligible to vote each year over the next decade, this energized and hardworking ’Generation of Change’ is driven by their conviction to secure a place as central actors in our nation’s future,” she Continued. 
 

The national survey of Latino voters between the ages of 18 and 24 showed that their impact will either make or break the turnout of the election.

Among those surveyed, 64% said they “definitely” planned to vote in November, with 82% citing recent Black Lives Matter protests as a major motivating factor.

In fact, “racial and ethnic social equality” was identified as the most important social or political issue for their generation by a majority of responders, with 16.6% identifying it as the top overall issue.

COVID-19 has also influenced their decisions. After all, the pandemic has affected Latinos at a disproportionate rate compared to all other demographics in the United States. Eighty-three percent say the pandemic has affected their health or finances, and nearly 48% have suffered because of job losses or pay cuts.

But young Latinos are undecided in their political allegiance, a troubling portion of the study found. Over a third of young Latinos describe themselves as independent or undecided about their political affiliation. Half identify as Democrat, while 13% identify as Republican.

Just 6% of responders said Joe Biden had “shown up” for the Latino community, compared to other figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders.

Sixty percent of young Latinos said they would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden if the election was held tomorrow, and 19% would choose President Donald Trump, a sobering statistic.

Sobering, because this is the demographic that has to be looked out for, and while the numbers are favorable to Biden, the former vice president is lagging behind Latinos overall compared to Hillary Clinton’s polling in 2016.

The full study can be found here.