Mexican-born immigrants account for about 3.8 million eligible U.S. voters, while naturalized citizens make up 22% of California’s electorate. New Pew data shows their growing political importance.
Mexican immigrants who have become U.S. citizens represent one of the largest groups of foreign-born voters in the country. California, meanwhile, has one of the highest concentrations of naturalized citizens in its electorate, giving immigrant communities an increasingly important role in American elections.
Millions of Americans were born in Mexico, moved to the United States, and eventually became U.S. citizens. Today, they have the same voting rights as citizens born in the country, provided they meet the applicable registration and election requirements.
Their presence represents an important part of the American electorate, particularly in California, where immigrants account for a substantial share of eligible voters.
According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 25.2 million naturalized U.S. citizens were eligible to vote nationwide in 2024. They represented 10.3% of the country’s eligible electorate.
Mexico was the leading country of birth among these voters. Approximately 15% of naturalized citizens eligible to vote were born in Mexico, representing roughly 3.8 million people nationwide.
The figure highlights the political importance of Mexican immigrants who have completed the naturalization process and acquired the right to participate in American elections.
California has one of the largest immigrant electorates
California stands out nationally because of the number of naturalized citizens living in the state.
According to Pew’s analysis of 2024 Census data, approximately 22% of California’s eligible voters were naturalized U.S. citizens. That means roughly one in five people eligible to vote in the state was born outside the United States and subsequently became an American citizen.
California has the highest percentage of naturalized citizens among eligible voters of any state.
The distinction matters in a state where immigration, education, healthcare, housing, employment, and public safety are major political issues.
However, the 22% figure includes immigrants from every country, not just Mexico. It would be incorrect to describe all these voters as Mexican Americans or Mexican-born citizens.
The broader Latino electorate
The political influence of Mexican Americans becomes even more apparent when looking at the broader Latino electorate.
Pew Research Center estimated that 36.2 million Latinos were eligible to vote nationwide in 2024. California alone was home to approximately 8.5 million Latino eligible voters, representing about one quarter of the national total.
That population includes U.S. born Latinos, naturalized citizens, and people with roots in Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Mexican Americans represent a substantial portion of California’s Latino population, but the number of Mexican origin eligible voters is different from the number of Mexican-born naturalized citizens.
The distinction is important because millions of Americans of Mexican ancestry were born in the United States and acquired citizenship at birth.
Citizenship does not automatically mean voting
Although naturalization gives immigrants the right to vote, not everyone who qualifies participates in elections.
Eligible citizens must register according to applicable state requirements, and actual turnout depends on several factors, including access to polling places, transportation, language assistance, work schedules, and interest in the candidates and issues.
Immigrant communities may also have different experiences with the political system depending on how long they have lived in the United States.
Pew found that naturalized eligible voters tend to be older than U.S. born eligible voters. Nearly 60% were at least 50 years old in 2024, compared with 46% of eligible voters born in the United States.
These differences are important when examining political participation and the issues that matter to immigrant voters.
What about Mexicans living in Mexico?
Another important question concerns Americans who live south of the border but retain their U.S. citizenship.
Eligible U.S. citizens living in Mexico can generally vote in American elections through absentee ballots. Their voting residence is usually based on their last U.S. residence.
Some Americans living in Baja California have also traveled across the border to participate in elections in California.
During the 2020 presidential election, the Los Angeles Times reported that hundreds, potentially thousands, of U.S. citizens living in Tijuana had voted or planned to cross into the United States to cast their ballots.
However, there is no verified statewide figure showing how many California registered voters currently live in Mexico or how many intend to cross the border to vote in 2026.
That information would help provide a clearer picture of the relationship between overseas American voters and California elections.
An increasingly important electorate
The growing number of naturalized citizens eligible to vote reflects the changing demographics of the United States.
For Mexican immigrants who become U.S. citizens, voting represents another way to participate in the country’s political and civic life.
In California, where naturalized citizens account for approximately one-fifth of the eligible electorate, their participation is particularly significant.
The numbers also demonstrate why it is important to distinguish between Mexican-born citizens, Mexican Americans, and the broader Latino population. They are related communities, but they represent different groups in demographic and electoral statistics.
