Jordan Chavez, an 18-year-old from Yakima, considers the influence of family, culture and party politics as he votes for the first time.

In the months leading up to the midterm elections, one group of voters has received an inordinate amount of attention across the country and in Washington state: Latino Americans. 

This group of voters has seen its influence grow in local and national elections in recent years, as its numbers have increased and its political tendencies fluctuated. Now, two years after more of the traditionally deep-blue Latino vote shifted toward Republican Donald Trump, and with the balance of power in Washington, D.C., determined by a handful of congressional seats, the impact of these voters looms large. 

Young Latinos are seen as particularly influential to political fortunes right now. Because of the relative youth of the population, it is tough to talk about the Latino vote without talking about the youth vote. 

Among those young people at the center of the conversation is Jordan Chavez, an 18-year-old from Yakima who is voting in his first major election this year.

To get a better sense of the forces at play on the millions of Latinos going to the polls this year, the latest episode of the Crosscut Reports podcast tells the story of Chavez, a first-time voter who’s dedicated, principled, and, maybe, persuadable.

For photos of Jordan Chavez's journey and an accompanying essay, go here. 

Stay tuned for our post-election episode of "Up for Grabs," where we will follow up with Chavez and some other Latino voters to find out how they voted and how they are feeling about the results.  

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Credits

Host/Producer: Sara Bernard

Reporter: Mai Hoang

Editorial assistance: Brooklyn Jamerson-Flowers

Executive producer: Mark Baumgarten

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