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Resource Latino Legislators

Updated February 15, 2018

While the Latino American population has steadily climbed from 12.5 percent to 17.1 percent since 2000, the rate of growth among state legislators has been slower, rising only 1 percent over the same period. In 2015, 279 state legislators, or 4 percent of all state legislators, identified themselves as Latino, a slight decrease from the 281 Latino members in 2013.

The table below shows the number of Latino legislators by state and chamber for the 2015 legislative session.

 
Latino Legislators by State and Chamber for the 2015 Legislative Session
State Total Legislative Seats Total Latino State Legislators % of Total Seats Total: House Seats Latino House Seats % of House Seats Total Senate Seats Latino Senators % of Senate Seats
Alabama 140 0 0% 105 0 0% 35 0 0%
Alaska 60 2 3% 40 2 5% 20 0 0%
Arizona 90 19 21% 60 14 23% 30 5 17%
Arkansas 135 0 0% 100 0 0% 35 0 0%
California 120 23 19% 80 18 23% 40 5 13%
Colorado 100 9 9% 65 4 6% 35 5 14%
Connecticut 187 13 7% 151 12 8% 36 1 3%
Delaware 62 2 3% 41 1 2% 21 1 5%
Florida 160 21 13% 120 17 14% 40 4 10%
Georgia 236 2 1% 180 2 1% 56 0 0%
Hawaii 76 1 1% 51 0 0% 25 1 4%
Idaho 105 0 0% 70 0 0% 35 0 0%
Illinois 177 13 7% 118 9 8% 59 4 7%
Indiana 150 1 1% 100 1 1% 50 0 0%
Iowa 150 0 0% 100 0 0% 50 0 0%
Kansas 165 5 3% 125 5 4% 40 0 0%
Kentucky 138 1 1% 100 0 0% 38 1 3%
Louisiana 144 1 1% 105 1 1% 39 0 0%
Maine 186 0 0% 151 0 0% 35 0 0%
Maryland 188 6 3% 141 5 4% 47 1 2%
Massachusetts 200 5 3% 160 5 3% 40 0 0%
Michigan 148 5 3% 110 5 5% 38 0 0%
Minnesota 201 5 2% 134 3 2% 67 2 3%
Mississippi 174 0 0% 122 0 0% 52 0 0%
Missouri 197 1 1% 163 1 1% 34 0 0%
Montana 150 1 1% 100 1 1% 50 0 0%
Nebraska 49 0 0% 49 0 0%
Nevada 63 9 14% 42 7 17% 21 2 10%
New Hampshire 424 1 0% 400 1 0% 24 0 0%
New Jersey 120 11 9% 80 8 10% 40 3 8%
New Mexico 112 41 37% 70 26 37% 42 15 36%
New York 213 17 8% 150 12 8% 63 5 8%
North Carolina 170 1 1% 120 0 0% 50 1 2%
North Dakota 141 0 0% 94 0 0% 47 0 0%
Ohio 132 2 2% 99 2 2% 33 0 0%
Oklahoma 149 1 1% 101 1 1% 48 0 0%
Oregon 90 3 3% 60 3 5% 30 0 0%
Pennsylvania 253 2 1% 203 2 1% 50 0 0%
Rhode Island 113 3 3% 75 2 3% 38 1 3%
South Carolina 170 0 0% 124 0 0% 46 0 0%
South Dakota 105 0 0% 70 0 0% 35 0 0%
Tennessee 132 0 0% 99 0 0% 33 0 0%
Texas 181 41 23% 150 34 23% 31 7 23%
Utah 104 3 3% 75 2 3% 29 1 3%
Vermont 180 1 1% 150 1 1% 30 0 0%
Virginia 140 1 1% 100 1 1% 40 0 0%
Washington 147 2 1% 98 2 2% 49 0 0%
West Virginia 134 0 0% 100 0 0% 34 0 0%
Wisconsin 132 2 2% 99 2 2% 33 0 0%
Wyoming 90 2 2% 60 1 2% 30 1 3%
Totals 7383 279 4% 5411 213 4% 1972 66 3%

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, 2015 Survey

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