- The election is 15 days away and one group is looking to register more Latin voters ahead of November 4
- The Pew Research Center estimates there are more than 36 million eligible Latin voters in the U.S.
- Video shows one group organizer explaining efforts to register more voters
When Maria Van Core bought her first home at age 33 she thought it was finally time to register to vote.
When Van Core was a child, her mother told her she didn't vote because, her mom thought, only homeowners were able to vote.
After Van Core learned about her voting rights, she's spent the last 25 years sharing election information to potential Latin voters.
WATCH: EARLY VOTING IS STILL POPULAR AMONG AMERICANS POST-PANDEMIC
"We don't tell them who to vote for. All we are doing is just for them to register, exercise their vote," Van Core said.
Since 2008, Van Core has been leading Latin voter outreach efforts as the Lansing chapter president of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.
There are more than 36 million eligible Latin voters in the U.S. this election season according to the Pew Research Center.
Despite the growing number of potential voters, Van Core says its been challenging getting registration numbers up in mid-Michigan.
"They'll probably register at the last minute and go to the clerk's office or just not vote at all," Van Core said.
Part of the issue, Van Core says, is the language barrier. But voter Maria Enriquez, of Lansing, believes Latin voters are culturally quiet.
WATCH: FIRST TIME VOTERS AT MSU SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE UPCOMING ELECTION
But Enriquez says Latin voters have a chance to make a big splash in an already-crucial swing state
"[Latin voters] are over looked a lot of times because they're not voicing their vote or how they really feel," Enriquez said. "We're the deciding factor."
Van Core's team spent Monday creating information packets to send out door-to-door. Van Core says it's your vote that counts, not the party you're with.
"This is our country. This is our home and we have every right that we should be voting," Van Core said.
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