Carolina Quintana Ocampo cast a ballot at her precinct in the University area on primary election day this year.
“I just came out here to vote because I want my voice to be heard," Quintana Ocampo said. "This is one of the few ways I can still do it.”
Quintana Ocampo, whose parents are not citizens, says voting is personal.
"My parents can’t really vote, and I just want to represent that part of myself too in these elections," Quintana Ocampo said.
New data from Mecklenburg County shows more young Latino voters like Quintana Ocampo participated, at least compared to recent years. The raw numbers are still moderate, but the trend points to growing interest.
About 930 Latino voters ages 18 to 25 cast ballots in this 2026 primary. 328 cast ballots in 2024’s primary, and 196 cast ballots in 2022’s primary.
“This is breaking expectations based on last years," Camino Research Institute's Lennin Caro said. “But we do have to keep in mind that a lot of things have happened in Charlotte in 2025 that could explain this more.”
Caro points to multiple factors, including heightened immigration enforcement activity in the past year, and more Latino candidates are running for office, which might have drawn more attention to non-presidential elections.
Another gap in the data is gender. In this year’s primary, more than twice as many young Latina women voted compared to men, a pattern seen in past elections as well.
“While this is a good thing to celebrate, we should be wary that there is still that fundamental issue of low male Hispanic participation," Caro said.
Overall, Latino participation is still low. Only 8% of all registered Latinos cast a ballot, compared to 15% of the total registered voters in the county.
On the ground, organizers say outreach plays a role.
The doors of Latinos are not being knocked," Siembra NC's Jess Villatoro said. "You'll get to a door and they're like, ‘Oh, no one's ever come to talk to me about who I'm voting for.’”
Siembra NC, a progressive group, focused outreach efforts in parts of Charlotte ahead of this year’s primary, including door knocking and community conversations.
Villatoro says increased engagement this year by young Latinos may also reflect how voters are responding to recent issues, like immigration enforcement, affecting their communities.
“This election came at a time where there was still a lot of uncertainty, as there still is in our community," Villatoro said. "I think that's why people felt like they needed to take action now."
Even with the increase, primary turnout remains far below that of the November general elections, when more voters typically participate. Campaigns are already ramping up outreach to Latino voters ahead of November.
The LIBRE Initiative supports conservative candidates and endorsed Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley. The group says it’s focusing on outreach in Latino communities, including door-knocking and Spanish-language engagement.
Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper’s campaign says it’s also prioritizing Latino outreach, including listening sessions with Latino leaders and creating Spanish-language literature.
Both efforts come as candidates expect Latino voters to play a key role in one of the most-watched races in the nation.
