New poll details the need to invest in faith-based voters for this election

Low to middle-income, middle-aged women of color in the Inland Empire and the Central Valley tend to be "highly spiritual but hold strikingly progressive views," PICO California’s research revealed. 

The faith-based organization calls the group of voters "devout and diverse," and a "critical swing vote population for Democrats in the 2024 election in California." 

Detailed in the memo titled “The Devout and Diverse: Activating a Faith-Based Justice Coalition,” the faith-based California organization and the Lake Research Partners firm updated a 2021 poll where they found over 5 million voters as being the prime target for faith-based organizing in California.

Similar to growing evidence across the country, organizations and campaigns- it is women of color who constitute the largest influential voter bloc across years and issues. While nationally this voter bloc has been a clear focus and even used as evidence to provide paid time off to vote, it is important to understand how this voter bloc continues to be influential. To be more specific to the latest California numbers, it is Latinos, African Americans, AAPI, and Indigenous populations who represent this electorate with Latinos comprising over 10 percentage points of the demographics.

Here's the kicker of this data: these devout and diverse voters responded to the poll as highly spiritual with progressive views. This is contrary to headlines and commentary asserting that the more faith a voter has, the more conservative their views and votes may be. With immigration also continuing to be the largest issue affecting this year's election, it is important to articulate how there continues to be faith leaders and even evangelical leaders across the country who are trying to change the narrative on how the faithful should think about immigration. 

Geography matters in how political development works

The memo outlines a “potential payoff” in investing in developing the political impact of this population geographically in California. While some cities and regions like LA County and even the greater Bay Area have their own chapters of faith-based organizing spaces like LA Voice and the statewide office located in Oakland, it is clear that this memo also shows potential expansion towards places like the Inland Empire and the Central Valley. 

The current race for a state-senate seat in the Inland Empire between the incumbent Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, who was the first Latina elected to the California Senate and Lisa Middleton who identifies as transgender, could help us understand the current, past and futures of Inland Empire Latino politics. After the primaries, it appears that Middleton is trailing behind the GOP Latina with 46.2% of the vote compared to Sen. Ochoa Bogh’s 53.8%. There continue to be new voters and the issues continue to be complicated. While a GOP incumbent running against a transgender candidate would cause culture wars across the country, it is interesting to see how the campaigns of both candidates have centered on bread-and-butter issues signaling a difference between local to national discourse in even this historically conservative region of California. 

Older women of color believe in more than you think

A strong majority of the people polled also self-identify as moderate Democrats and hold strong progressive views and see policy as an answer. 

According to the poll, older-faith-based women of color believe:

• In wealth distribution. 

• That millionaires and billionaires should pay their faith share in taxes.

• That this country is not doing a good job in ensuring equality for all people.

• Their religion of spirituality plays a significant role in their lives. 

• They are personally engaged with their faith and spirituality but are not mobilized with their faith into action. 

Overall, the memo outlines something important for all investors, campaign leads and community organizers, this population wants to help. Over eight in ten of the respondents believe that regular people have the power to change the problems in this country when they all join together. Contrary to rumors of large apathy, when communities are organized and activated, the data is showing there is potential for change.