Here’s how Latinos could win this election

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

I pick this as the emblematic picture of the day – actually, of the Latino early vote in general. It’s the line to cast early votes in the Cardenas Market in Clark County, Nevada. Look closely, it’s mostly raza. NBC News reports that “A long, long, long line of early voters in a Las Vegas grocery store over the weekend and reports of other high Latino early voting has been creating some excitement as Election Day nears.

“Witnesses to the long lines to vote at Cardenas grocery store – where the poll was open until 10 p.m. Friday – were ecstatic and amazed by the numbers who were waiting to cast their ballot.”

The good news is that Latinos voters have turned-out in large numbers across the country. Here’s a sampling of states we should be watching.

►Early Vote Numbers

72,000 – The surge in the number of Democratic ballots returned in Nevada. Thirty-point-six percent of the early votes cast in Clark County, Nevada, have been Latino. More than 75 percent of Nevada’s population lives in Clark County.

100 – The increase in the number of Latino early votes in Florida. Thirteen-point-seventy-seven percent of early vote in Florida is Latino, up from 9.89 percent in 2012. Latinos are 18.1 percent of the electorate in Florida; Clinton leads Trump by 0.5 percent in that state.

13 – The percentage of Latino votes cast in Arizona, up from 11 percent in 2012. Twenty-one-point-five percent of the Arizona electorate is Latino. Trump leads Clinton by 4 points in that state.

144 – The percentage increase in the number of Latino early votes in Georgia compared to 2012. Four-point-one percent of the electorate in Georgia is Latino; in the latest NBC/Marist poll Clinton trails Trump by 1 percent.

75 – The percentage increase in Latino early vote in North Carolina compared to 2012. Latinos are 3.4 percent of the electorate in North Carolina, the polls have Trump up by 1.8 percent in that state.

26.6 – The percentage of Latino early votes cast in the 20 largest continues in Texas. I put this one here for several reasons: It’s huge; it may not sway the state’s electoral votes, but it’s a statement; it’s where I vote.