Latinos are constantly touted as key players in the upcoming election, even capable of swinging red states like Arizona blue. And there's little doubt that they can make a difference in the outcome of not only the presidential election, but state and local elections as well.
The real question, though, is will they?
Latino turnout is expected to reach its highest levels in history in November; experts believe over 12 million could cast ballots on Election Day.
But there is a nagging sense that Latinos could be more influential. Overall, 22 million are eligible to vote, but almost half aren’t expected to show up to the polls. That’s not a problem unique to Latinos. A surprisingly low number of people who are eligible to vote actually cast a ballot -- in the last presidential election, only about 60 percent of people eligible to vote actually did, and that was considered high.
At the same time, special challenges face the Latino community when it comes to political participation. Let’s take a look at what could drive Latinos to the polls in November and what could keep them away.
Many Latinos feel ignored by both political parties, or, at the very least, like issues that are important to them are being ignored.
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