From The Desert Sun:
An influx of Latinos in Riverside County over the past decade is not reflected in the desert's political landscape, though some expect that transformation is on the horizon. Census data released last week show Latinos have become the county's largest ethnic group, replacing whites for the first time.... "Electoral change is a little bit slower than population change," said Louis DeSipio, an associate political science professor and chairman of Chicano/Latino studies at the University of California, Irvine. "Just becoming the numerical majority doesn't change representation in an area. It's up to the parties and other political institutions to reach out to communities and encourage them to participate." In local campaigns where not much information is known about the candidates, DeSipio said research indicates that ethnicity can play a role with voters.

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