Mar 23, 2006
Mi Familia Vota Announces Efforts Supporting Greater Hispanic Political Participation in Osceola
Poll shows Hispanics feel strong sense of discrimination
Prior to July 2006, Democracia U.S.A. was known as Mi Familia Vota. To learn more about our organization, click here.
Kissimmee, Florida — Mi Familia Vota (MFV), a national Hispanic civic engagement program, is launching efforts to increase Hispanic participation in elections for the city of Kissimmee and Osceola County, where two current lawsuits — one federal and one local — charge that local election laws discriminate against Hispanics and make it nearly impossible for Hispanic candidates to win. The press conference was held at Universal Empanadas Restaurant.
MFV, which carries out non-partisan voter registration and education drives, announced plans to establish a permanent operation in Central Florida, where the growth of the Hispanic population has far outpaced Hispanic participation in the political process.
"This is a simple matter of fairness. As the Hispanic population of central Florida has skyrocketed, there ought to be more Hispanic voters, and a fair chance for Hispanic candidates to succeed. Today, the deck is stacked against them, and Hispanics feel a strong sense of discrimination in Kissimmee and Osceola County," said Jorge Mursuli, National Executive Director for MFV. "Our goal is to register more Hispanic voters and bring more Hispanic voices into the political process for positive results."
In 2004, MFV registered 72,000 new Hispanic voters in the state, of which 17,508 were from Central Florida. Mursuli said MFV believes that the two lawsuits now in the courts will lead to the adoption of a district-based voting system instead of the at-large system currently in use. He noted that since the at-large system was instituted in 1996, no Hispanic candidate has succeeded in county or city elections.
The group presented a poll conducted by nationally renowned pollster Sergio Bendixen revealing a polarization of views between Hispanics and non-Hispanics in Osceola County. This exclusive poll also indicated a strong sense of discrimination among Hispanics, and support for district elections. Highlights of the poll included:
- 48% of Hispanics believe the county is better off because of Hispanic migration.
- 53% of Hispanics feel that there is an active chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in Osceola, while 60% of non-Hispanics believe that is false;
- 47% of Hispanics believe that there are no Hispanic County Commissioners due to discrimination, while 64% of non-Hispanics claim that it is because there are no good Hispanic candidates;
- 45% of Hispanics feel it is difficult to participate in Osceola elections if you don't speak English well;
- 64% of Hispanics indicated support for district elections.
The poll has a margin of error of 4% and sample size of 600, split evenly among Hispanics and non-Hispanics. A complete copy of the poll is attached.
Bendixen summarized the poll's findings saying, "Hispanics and non-Hispanics in Osceola have two entirely contrasting views of where and how they fit into the local political landscape. There appears to be significant demographic and socio-economic differences between the two groups contributing to the sense of discrimination and disparity felt by Hispanics."
Mursuli added, "Hispanics in Osceola are part of the engine that keeps the local and statewide economy running. They are hard-working people that are establishing homes, opening businesses, paying taxes and building families in this community. They do not deserve to be discriminated against, underrepresented or underserved. They deserve fair representation in city and county government."
Also participating in the news conference were attorneys Luis Gonzalez and Darren Soto, who filed one of the Voting Rights Act lawsuits alleging that at-large elections, versus district elections, hurt the opportunities for Hispanics to be elected to office. They were joined by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Armando Ramirez and John Cortes.
Although Hispanics make up nearly one-third of Osceola's electorate, the county has never elected a Hispanic candidate under the at-large voting system. In 1992, Osceola County voters approved a single-member district format for the 1996 general county commission elections. The first and only Hispanic ever elected to the county commission, Robert Guevara, was elected. In that same 1996 election, county voters were presented with another proposal to return to at-large elections. It was approved. Guevara died in 2000 before the end of his term.
In Kissimmee, many Hispanics have run for seats on the City Commission but have never won. Early in 2004, several Kissimmee citizens proposed a plan to the City Commission to divide the city into four single-member districts with the mayor being elected in citywide elections. The commissioners held two brief discussions concerning the proposal, but took no further action. The November 2004 election was held under the at-large system.
MFV's Central Florida operation will involve a combination of approximately 17 staff and canvassers. It will be led by National Field Director Irma Palacios and Central Florida Coordinator Ricardo Rangel.
Mi Familia Vota is a national non-partisan Hispanic civic engagement program that seeks to increase the prominence and participation of Hispanics in the American political process. MFV helps empower Hispanics by increasing their participation in the electoral process through voter registration, non-partisan education on issues and candidates, and motivating them to vote on Election Day. MFV also develops Hispanic leaders by teaching important leadership skills that can be used to champion community causes and issues. And, MFV promotes greater civic engagement by educating Hispanics on the American political process and showing them how participating in it can help improve their quality of life. It is a project of the People for the American Way Foundation.
