USA TODAY

It appears that young and minority voters really turned out for early and absentee voting. But polls were still open in many states, and most races won't be called until late Tuesday. Stick with USA TODAY for your election coverage.

Latinos came out swinging

By Cristóbal J. Alex

Latino voter enthusiasm is showing in early voting numbers, proving that doomsday predictions of Latino voter apathy were flat wrong. Latino voters are energized and mobilized. Their voter turnout during early voting exceeded 2014 midterm levels. That was before Election Day. Tuesday, Latinos will show their electoral power in full force.

Latino voter turnout has always had a critical impact in our elections, especially for Democrats. This year, it's no different. Of the 73 congressional races that have been deemed most competitive, 25 are in districts where Latinos make up at least 10 percent of eligible voters, as noted in The Washington Post.

According to Pew Research Center, in 12 of those districts, Latinos make up at least 20 percent of eligible voters. Democrats need these Latino voters to win back the House, and from what we can already see, Latino voters are showing up to the polls.

Latino voters will also play a significant role in the Senate and governor's races in Florida and Nevada; the governor's races in Georgia, Colorado, Connecticut and New Mexico; and the Senate races in New Jersey, Arizona and Texas. One key factor why Latino voters will shatter expectations and prove wrong the countless headlines bemoaning Latino participation is evident: a slate of progressive, diverse candidates running up and down the ballot.

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A highlight of these historic midterm elections is that Latino voters have flexed their political muscle. There is a renewed awareness that democracy works only if we participate in it. The Trump administration is poised to continue implementing draconian anti-immigrant laws, taking away our health care, cutting taxes for the rich at the expense of the middle class, and attacking women, communities of color and the LGBTQ community. Latinos, like millions of Americans, feel the urgency to use the power of their vote.

This election will prove that the Latino electorate is an active and significant political force now and in future elections.

Cristóbal J. Alex is president of the Latino Victory Fund. You can follow him on Twitter: @CristobalJAlex.

What others are saying

Alex Tapscott, The New York Times: "Across the country, polling stations have been closed in minority neighborhoods, had their locations changed from election to election, and have been kept understaffed, or inaccessible, or ill-equipped, so that voters must stand in line for hours. ... Online voting isn’t a silver bullet. It wouldn’t thwart political disinformation campaigns that rely on false tweets or bogus Facebook pages, and it wouldn’t be a solution to the problems presented by gerrymandering. However, done properly, online voting could boost voter participation, avoid administrative errors at polling stations, and help restore the public’s trust in the electoral process and democracy."

Helen Alvaré, CNN.com: "Women suffer more poverty than men and need state action prioritizing the poor. Women practice religion more than men, being more likely to pray daily, attend services weekly, and report that God is very important in their lives. Women are more likely than men to report that they would like to have more flexible work arrangements and paid family leave to care for loved ones. I haven't given up hope that elected women will bring women's needs to the table more forcefully. I am only saying that their sex doesn't guarantee it, and that female citizens will not be absolved of their duty to agitate for what women need most."

'Why are you voting?'

Comments taken from r/politics on Reddit, where USA TODAY posted the question:

I'm voting because I'm tired of seeing American politics defined by hatred. I want to go back to hope and a bright look towards the future, rather than seeing which groups we can smother today to avoid looking at how bleak tomorrow looks.

— Knittinandbitchin

I have a 9-year-old kid with Type 1 diabetes. Without insurance, I would not be able to afford the doctor visits, insulin and equipment required for her to live.

There are families in America in the same situation as myself but can't afford health care. And the fact that it is 2018 and people are dying because they can't afford health care is an embarrassment.

— allphilla

I voted in remembrance of my grandparents. They were Holocaust survivors and they told me their stories. A common thread in each of those stories was how normal life seemed, right up until the point things were beyond repair.

Anyway, sometimes I think, "Sure, the news is scary, but has my daily life really changed?" And then, I remember my grandfather's story. And I vote, while I still can.

— pervocracy

I’m voting for oversight. The Republican Party has demonstrated for the last two years that it has no interest in checking even the president's worst impulses and actions. Congress will not do its job, so I’m voting for a new one that will.

— unmarrow

I voted because I don’t like what the Democrats have become. I hate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and socialism, and I hate the screaming and baseless accusations that get media exposure, if they are on the correct team. I want to stop this generation of Democrats and give them a chance to start over.

— highonstress

I voted because a functioning democracy requires an engaged population. When people tune out politics, we are left with a poor representation of our populace in our government. It is every American's civic duty to be informed and vote so we can steer the nation in a unified direction.

— abgonzo7588

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