Arizona Latino Research Enterprise-Raul H. Castro Institute present free community forum at Phoenix College Feb. 10

(PHOENIX, Ariz., Feb. 2, 2012) – “Arizona’s Emerging Latino Vote” will be the focus of this year’s annual ALRE/RCI Town Hall on Friday, February 10, 2012 in Bulpitt Auditorium at Phoenix College.

The town hall is presented by Arizona Latino Research Enterprise and the Raul H. Castro Institute of Phoenix College.

Election experts say Latino voters played a pivotal role in at least four races in Maricopa County last year, including the Phoenix elections for mayor and two city council seats, as well as the recall of former State Senate President Russell Pearce.

“Major elections were decided in large part by Latino voter turnout in 2011, and we believe that trend will continue in the year to come,” said James Garcia, chairman of Arizona Latino Research Enterprise, a Phoenix-based Latino advocacy organization.

The Town Hall will feature panels and speakers examining the increasing influence of the Latino electorate on local, state and national politics. In particular, panels and speakers will address the growing contributions and achievements of Latino youth, both at the voting booth and as active participants in creating greater civic engagement among Latinos.

“You will be able to hear in real numbers about the voter registration and get-out-the-vote activities from those directly involved,” said Roberto Reveles, a founding member of the RCI and an RCI Advisory Committee member. “You’ll also hear about the near- and long-term outlook for Latino voter participation. Dramatic opportunities and challenges for civic engagement await our community.”

Among the panels to be presented:

• Getting Out the Vote – Triumphs and Challenges
• The State of the Latino Electorate
• Counting Latino Votes
• A newsmaker luncheon interview

A noon press conference will bring together a wide array of non-partisan, Latino and non-Latino community groups dedicated to civic engagement and increasing the political clout of Latinos. They will sign on to a statement of commitment to continued civic engagement efforts and responsible citizenship.

The daylong event begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration and the first panel starts at 9:30 a.m. The event is scheduled to end at 4 p.m. and will be followed by a “Young Voters Celebration” from 4 – 7 p.m. on the lawn of the Bulpitt Auditorium in Pastor Plaza.

The Town Hall is free and open to the public and boxed lunches will be available for purchase.

The event sponsors are Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, Magellan Health Services, Univision Arizona, Arizona State University’s Center for Community Development and Civil Rights and the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on the Town Hall, send email to info@alre.org.