A new poll by the Pew Hispanic Center says that Latinos are less certain that they will vote in November than the general public. The poll also shows Latinos think about the presidential election less than registered voters as a whole.
While 89 percent of registered voters say they'll vote in November, only 77 percent of Hispanics said they're sure they're going to vote.
And while 70 percent of registered voters said they thought "quite a lot" about the presidential election, only 61 percent of Latinos responded the same way.
This is bad news for the Obama campaign, as his support among Latinos is extremely high, especially in crucial swing states. Obama support among Hispanics is a remarkably high 69 percent, compared to 21 percent who support Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
That's even larger than the percentage of Latinos who voted for Obama in 2008 against John McCain. That year, Obama had 67 percent support among Hispanics, while McCain had 31 percent.
While the percentage of Latinos who plan to vote is low, it is still much higher than it was in 2008, when only 51 percent of Latinos said the planned to vote.
Even those who don't plan to vote recognize the growing clout Latinos have in political races. Two-thirds of respondents say Latinos will have a "major impact" on this year's elections.
Latinos are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the country, as well as the youngest. Both minorities and youth are associated with more liberal political views.
Currently 24 million Hispanics are eligible to vote, and 50,000 Latinos reach voting age each month.
Obama's high numbers among Latinos are likely fueled by his support for a program that defers deportation and awards work permits for undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children. Romney has said he will cancel the program if elected.
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