The Associated Press in 2016 released a report compiled by the Austin American Statesman stating that Hispanics and Latinos are largely underrepresented politically across Texas.

The American Statesman reported more than 1.3 million Hispanics in Texas live in cities or counties with no Hispanic representation on their city council or commissioners court. Disparities remain high even when accounting for non-citizens.

This is very much the case for Jefferson County as well where Hispanics and Latinos make up 20 percent of the population yet do not have representation on the Jefferson County Commissioners Court.

Equally as concerning is the city of Port Arthur, where Hispanics and Latinos make up 33 percent of the population yet have not seen a consistent Hispanic presence elected to the City Council for a number of years.

Across Mid County communities, Groves has the highest population of Hispanics and Latinos at 4 percent. Yet Hispanics and Latinos have zero representation there, as well.

Representation of all ethnic groups across local government is important to ensure all citizens have a voice. Representation in local government needs to change as communities grow and as their demographics change.

City-data.com states that the current ethnic makeup of Port Arthur shows African Americans represents 38 percent of the population, Hispanics are at 33 percent and White/Caucasians are at 21 percent.

That is vastly different from 2000, when African Americans represented 44 percent of the population, White/Caucasians were at 32 percent and Hispanics at 17 percent.

Back in the 1980s, when white/Caucasian ethnicity was much higher that other ethnic groups in Port Arthur, a change was made at the local government level to increase the number of city council seats to nine. This added two citywide seats and two overlapping district seats. The mindset was to allow ethnic groups with lower population numbers an opportunity to acquire equal representation on local government councils.

Fast forward to today, where out of the nine seats on The Port Arthur City Council, eight are held by people of African American ethnicity. There are zero Hispanic/Latinos as well as zero white/Caucasians.

So why is it that? Why do Hispanics and Latinos stay away from consistently being a part of local government?

The most obvious reason is our lack of voter turnout, which continues year in and year out. When you have a 4 percent voter turnout on a regular basis, candidates are basically relying on the registered voters to whom they reach out and entice to the polls. They are not reaching out beyond that.

In simple terms, they only want the voters who will get them elected — voters they know will show up to the polls.

Voter turnout will only get worse if eligible individuals don’t vote consistently. They will become structurally excluded from the political process. That means candidates will not campaign for an individual’s vote if that person is not a regular voter.

The Austin American Statesman report also suggests a few reasons for this lack of presence and representation. Texas laws have made registering to vote more difficult, redistricting efforts were designed to dilute Hispanic influence and there is a perceived abandonment of Hispanic voters by statewide political parties.

To increase Latino representation among local governments, reports suggest, they need to feel more engaged. They need to have a stake in it. They want to have an equal place in society.

But many feel they do not, are overlooked and do not have a voice. They need to see that change will be beneficial and that their voice is just as important as every other legal citizen.

Latinos are a highly supportive group with strong family ties. Those ties are also very strong for leaders that will push for issues they feel are important to their culture and families.

Find a candidate or candidates who can push for the issues important to the Hispanic and Latino population and change in the lack of political representation here would come now, not later.