Latinos voters greatly influence Florida election

World Today

Early turnout is one of the big stories of the 2016 US presidential election. That is another big story: Latinos, lining up like never before in Florida and around the country – to register and cast ballots this year.

Early turnout is one of the big stories of the 2016 US presidential election.

Florida led all states with 6.5 million early voters. That is half of the state’s registered 13 million voters. And a record number of those early voters in the state are Latinos. That is another big story: Latinos, lining up like never before in Florida and around the country – to register and cast ballots this year.

CCTV America’s Nitza Soledad Perez reports the story.

Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric, his plan to build a wall on the Mexican border and talk of deportations are credited with fueling the surge in Latino turnout.

Florida’s historic early voting turnout appears to favor the Democratic party, but Mr. Trump can catch up on this election day.

Trump does have some support among Hispanic voters.

“I voted for Mr. Donald J Trump because we need a change in this country. This country is in very bad shape. We need change. We need law and order. We need security; we need to secure our borders,” Elena Sanchez, one Latino voter said.

Latino activists said they’ve known the potential power of the Latino vote for years, though the bloc never showed up in large numbers at the polls. This year, in this most unusual U.S. election, they say, the sleeping giant has finally awoken.