The latest numbers have confirmed that the Latino population now outnumber the white population in the state of California. Many demographers predicted the shift occurring some time in 2014, and it did, although it couldn't be officially confirmed until the new population figures were reported by the Census Bureau in the summer.

As of July 1, 2014, around 14.99 million Latinos live in California compared to the 14.92 million white people residing in the state. This makes the Latinos the largest ethnic group in California. As the milestone is reached, it marks the first large state and the third state overall in the United States to feature a non-white plurality. The two other states are Hawaii and New Mexico.

In the United States, there are now 55.4 million Latinos. California and Los Angeles County boast the highest Latino populations out of all the states and counties in the country.

Roberto Suro, director of the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute at USC, spoke up about the significant milestone for the group, saying that the ongoing shift is one that has been a long time coming.

"This is sort of the official statistical recognition of something that has been underway for almost an entire generation," he explained, and it's not about to stop any time soon. "It is going to accelerate. This is really the beginning of a new phase that will play out over another generation."

Back in 1970, Latinos in California stood at 2.4 million people and whites count at 15.5 million. Twenty years later in 1990, the state's Latino population leapt to 7.7 million. By 2060, demographers predict that the Latino population will swell to about 49 percent of the state.

Furthermore, the average Latino in the U.S. is relatively young at a median age of 29 while the white population is consistently aging and the median age is 45.

The rising numbers may not just be attributed to the recent immigration. It is also due to second and third generations of immigrants who are starting families in the country, according to Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, a professor and dean of education at UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.

The strong growth of the Latino population has made the group's role in the upcoming elections particularly important. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials projects that the Latino community will turn up and vote in record numbers with 13 million voters or more expected to be part of the electorate.