ATLANTA — Just over a week before Election Day, community advocates in Georgia are ramping up efforts to mobilize Latino voters.
Dalia Perez, with the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights Action Network (GAN) and Mijente PAC., said her team has been working tirelessly to reach Latino voters across Georgia.
“We have volunteers knocking on doors right now,” Perez said. “The engagement we’re doing now is more important than ever.”
GAN is the political arm of GLAHR and joined with the Mijente PAC over the last few weeks. Perez said she's encountered a range of perspectives from the community as she's had conversations with people about why they have or have not voted.
"What we're seeing is that you either have one side that is just not invested when it comes to young voters, young Latino voters, and we see that it's has to do a lot with just how much attention is given to Latinos and just how much they're reached out to."
The push for Latino voter turnout comes amid record early voting numbers. Despite high turnout overall, data shows that just over 72,400 of nearly three million early voters are Hispanic or Latino, placing them fourth in voter turnout by demographic.
RELATED: Georgia shatters another early voting record compared to previous years, Secretary of State says
Community advocate Genny Castillo said this figure doesn’t tell the whole story. She’s found that some potential voters may face obstacles that prevent them from casting their ballots early.
“People have a lot going on,” she said. “It’s not necessarily a lack of interest, but maybe a lack of opportunity.”
After recent comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump campaign event disparaged Puerto Rico. The comedian referred to the United States territory as a, "floating island of garbage" while opening for former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at Madison Square Garden Sunday.
The remarks have sparked debate among community leaders, questioning whether the backlash might drive more Hispanic and Latino voters to the polls.
Castillo also hopes the recent remarks will spark more engagement, especially following Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny’s support for Vice President Kamala Harris in response to the comments.
“In his music, he’s been vocal about what’s happening in Puerto Rico,” Castillo said. “Seeing someone like him speaking up, it’s powerful.”
Benito "Bad Bunny" Ocasio, was born in Puerto Rico and hasn't shied away from using his music to discuss the social and political issues impacting the island. His song, "El Apagón," which means "the power outage," explores gentrification and the displacement of native Puerto Ricans on the Island. The song takes its name from the blackouts that became common on the island following Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Recently, the three-time Grammy-winner released the song "Una Velita," in September. The song calls on listeners to remember those who died as a result of Hurricane Maria and hold elected officials accountable for the strife people in Puerto Rico experienced as a result.
Following the comment from Hinchcliffe, the rapper shared a campaign video of Vice President Kamala Harris on his Instagram stories.
Both women noted Latino voters are often engaged on the topic of immigration, which leads to apathy when candidates attempt to ask the group for their political support at the height of a campaign.
Both Perez and Castillo emphasize that Latino voters are not a monolithic group and that campaigns should address the diverse concerns of Hispanic and Latino communities.
“We come from many different cultures, and we need to talk about all the issues,” Castillo added.