Latino, Hispanic Voters: Latinos Less Certain about Voting on Nov. 6

Latinos will play a decisive role in the presidential elections - The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials projected more than 12.2 million Latino voters are expected to cast ballots on Election Day, an increase of 26 percent from 2008. That number is about half of the 23.7 million Latinos are eligible to vote in the 2012 presidential election, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.

According to the Pew Hispanic Center's latest research, 69 percent of Latino registered voters prefer President Barack Obama and are increasingly satisfied with the nation's direction and the state of their personal finances. Twenty-one percent prefer GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

However, the research found that Latinos are "somewhat less certain" than non-Hispanics that they will vote in the Nov. 6 elections.

The report found that 77 percent of Latino registered voters say they are "absolutely certain" they will vote, while 89 percent of all registered voters say the same.

Hispanic registered voters with some college education, who are ages 50 to 64 and those who are English dominant are most likely to say they are "absolutely certain" they will vote in this year's presidential election.

Hispanic registered voters who are the least likely to say they are "absolutely certain" they will vote are those who have not completed high school, those who are Spanish dominant and high school graduates.

New voting laws in 23 of the 50 states could keep more than 10 million Hispanic U.S. citizens from registering and voting. But the poll said that nearly all Hispanic registered voters say they are confident they have the identification they need to cast a ballot and 71 percent of Hispanic registered voters say voters should be required to show an official identification to be allowed to vote on Election Day.

The survey finds that education, jobs and the economy, and health care are the top issues for Latinos in this year's presidential campaign.