The turnout was higher than anticipated in Black and Latino precincts in California, many southern states, and in New York City's minority neighborhoods. They have seen extremist legislation passed that clearly targets them. Public education around the country has been under assault. Vouchers for private schooling are looming as a excuse to gut financing for public school systems. At the City University of New York fees have escalated and admissions policies are being politicized to cut back on minority enrollment.
Politicians hope to ride scapegoat laws against legal immigrants to election victories.
In the midst of a booming economy, minorities see themselves left behind. This is especially true in New York City with its high unemployment rate and stagnant job growth. They turned out and voted in self-defense. Still, there are roadblocks to minority participation in elections. Congress effectively defunded the Immigration and Naturalization Service so that many applications pending for citizenship couldn't be processed before the election.