San Francisco, CA. Línea Abierta, the first and only Spanish-language talk show in national public radio, will air and webcast seven hours of special, extended coverage of the midterm election in the U.S. A two-hour segment will air on the eve of the election, an additional four hours will go live on election day, and a one-hour program the day after the election will complete the report.

This midterm election is widely seen as a critical test for the Latino vote. In a historic development, millions of protesters took to the streets during the spring to oppose congressional plans criminalizing immigrants and urge immigration reform. In response, Congress passed a border-wall law and Republican candidates are trying to galvanize their voting base hailing it as an achievement to keep immigrants out and protect the homeland. What message will voters send on November 7?

Línea Abierta will provide live news and analysis with a focus on the Latino voter. Talking topics include the following:
- Latino voters: their mood and role in highly-contested races.
- The battle for Congress – key issues at stake.
- Latino races to watch – state and congressional campaigns.
- Efforts to suppress and protect the Latino vote.
- Exit polls – the pulse of the Latino voter.
- Election day results.

The programs will air on the following days:

Monday, November 6, 12:00 – 2:00 PM PST
Tuesday, November 7, 11:00 – 3:00 PM PST
Wednesday, November 8, 12:00 – 1 PM PST

These programs are part of a special radio project to help educate and mobilize immigrants around pressing issues impacting their lives. The series provides timely information to give listeners the tools to engage in civic life and the public decision-making process.

Línea Abierta airs on 56 stations in the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico. The talk show series is a production of Radio Bilingüe, the Latino public radio network with main offices in Fresno and San Francisco. Through Satélite Radio Bilingüe, the non-profit organization distributes news, information and musical programming to affiliates throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and México. Radio Bilingüe also has a live audio service online at www.radiobilingue.org.

Funding for this special coverage is provided in part by The Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr Fund, the California Community Technology Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and The California Endowment.