Hispanics to Outnumber Whites in California by March

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In California, white people should be getting prepared to adopt a new label: "minority."

A new report suggests that the Hispanic population of the state will surpass that of whites ... very soon. Demographers see the Hispanic population passing the white population in the Sunshine State as soon as this March.

By that time, Latinos are expected to reach 39 percent of the total population, with whites falling into second place at 38.8 percent, according to the 2013-14 Governor's Budget Summary.

"The racial distribution of California's population continues to transform and by March 2014, the Latino population will edge past the non‑Hispanic White population to become the largest race or ethnic group in the state," reads the governor's report. "The shift from non‑Hispanic White to Latino plurality is about seven months later than anticipated last year, primarily due to lower than anticipated Latino birth rates. As the Hispanic population in California continues to grow, the proportions of the other race groups will decline slightly, except for Asian, which through immigration should sustain its proportion of the population over the next five years."

California sustains a strong influx of immigrant, which helps to keep the population increase going. While Hispanics continue to top the immigration wave in the Sunshine State, there are some changing demographics in that area.

"There are over 10 million foreign‑born residents living in California, representing over one‑fourth of the nation's total foreign‑born population," the summary notes. "Most are long settled in the state, with nearly three‑quarters having arrived before 2000. Although historically the majority of California immigrants came from Mexico and Latin America, twice as many new arrivals came from Asian countries compared to Latin America in 2011."

This changing demographic will change the political landscape of the state, assuming that the growing number of Hispanics elect to participate in the electoral process.

"Demographic changes that are coming will reshape the electorate, and in turn that will likely have impacts on policies and issues that decision makers focus on in the coming decades," Mindy Romero of the UC Davis Center for Regional Change told SFGate.