Voto Latino launches UF chapter

A national organization has teamed up with UF students in hopes of increasing Hispanic and Latino voter turnout for the upcoming elections.

Voto Latino, an organization that looks to encourage American Latino millennials to vote, launched a chapter at UF on Monday in collaboration with UF Hispanic-Latino Affairs. The chapter plans on hosting events to help students register to vote, said Jose Abastida, the field director of Florida’s Voto Latino chapters.

“Voto Latino doesn’t endorse or condemn any party or candidate,” the 24-year-old UF political science senior said. ”We simply support creating more spaces for civic engagement and civic learning through leadership development.”

Florida’s large Hispanic and Latino population makes it a key state in the U.S. elections, he said.

The chapter, along with the Hispanic Student Association and Hispanic-Latino Affairs, will help students register to vote at an on-campus event Sept. 15, said Jeremy Martinez-Quinoes, the vice president of the UF chapter of Voto Latino. The event is open to everyone.

“Overall, we are really trying to advocate for all students to register to vote,” the 20-year-old UF criminology and law senior said.

David Enriquez, the director of leadership development for the HSA, said he thinks Voto Latino will help establish the presence of Hispanic and Latino voters.

“I think Voto Latino is going to be one of those things that helps us realize that we need to claim our Americanness,” the 19-year-old UF philosophy and history sophomore said.

A national organization has teamed up with UF students in hopes of increasing Hispanic and Latino voter turnout for the upcoming elections.

Voto Latino, an organization that looks to encourage American Latino millennials to vote, launched a chapter at UF on Monday in collaboration with UF Hispanic-Latino Affairs. The chapter plans on hosting events to help students register to vote, said Jose Abastida, the field director of current and future Florida chapters of Voto Latino.

“Voto Latino doesn’t endorse or condemn any party or candidate; we simply support creating more spaces for civic engagement and civic learning through leadership development,” the 24-year-old UF political science senior said.

Florida’s large Hispanic and Latino population makes it a key state in the U.S elections, he said.

The chapter, along with the Hispanic Student Association and Hispanic-Latino Affairs, will help students register to vote at an on-campus event Sept. 15, said Jeremy Martinez-Quinoes, the vice president of the UF chapter of Voto Latino.

Martinez-Quinoes said the event is open to everyone.

“Overall, we are really trying to advocate for all students to register to vote,” the 20-year-old UF criminology and law senior said.

David Enriquez, the director of leadership development for the HSA, said he thinks Voto Latino will help establish the presence of Hispanic and Latino voters.

“I think Voto Latino is going to be one of those things that helps us realize that we need to claim our Americanness,” the 19-year-old UF philosophy and history sophomore said.