Figure 3 Hispanic Eligible Voter and Registered Voter Trends, 1986 2012 (in millions) Eligible voters Registered voters
As the number of Latino eligible voters has grown, so too has the number of Latinos casting votes in presidential elections. In 2008, 9.7 million Latinos cast a vote—a record then, and up from 7.6 million in 2004, also a record year.3 In addition, Latinos represent a growing share of voters. In 2008, Hispanics made up 7.4% of all voters, up from 6.0% in 2004 (Lopez and Taylor, 2009).
Nonetheless, Hispanics are still a smaller part of the potential electorate than might be expected given their rapid population growth and share of the general population. For example, according to the Pew Hispanic analysis, more than 25 million blacks are eligible to vote in 2012 as are more than 152 million whites—both larger than the Hispanic electorate.
Figure 3  | Hispanic Eligible Voter and Registered Voter Trends,  | 1986 2012  | (in millions)  | Eligible voters  | Registered voters  | 23.7  | 25  | 21.3  | 19.5  | 20  | 17.3  | 16.1  | 14.5  | 11.2 12.4 13.2 14.5  | 15  | 11.6 11.0  | 8:1-833 10.3 11.2 12.4  | 9.3 9.3  | 1075 77 8:1-833  | 6.6 6.8 7.5 8.2  | 1075 5 4.2 4.6 4.4 5.1 5.5  | Aget Ages  | Aget Ages agso  | Ages agso toon  | toon Nob Agglo  | Nob Agglo tost  | Agglo tost acco  | tost acco acon  | acco acon abox  | acon abox assio  | abox assio acce  | assio acce acto  | acce acto hore  | acto hore  | agso toon Nob  | Note: Eligible voters are persons ages 18 and olderwho are U.S. citizens  | Source: For 1988 through 2010 Pew Hispanic Centerta 2012, bulations ofthe Current  | Population Survey through November Supplements; Hispanic for Survey 2012, Pew Hispanic Center  | Population ta bulations Survey ofthe August Current Supplements; Population Survey  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 