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SALT LAKE CITY -- Some Latino advocates say the state's Hispanic population could have a major influence on elections, if it's tapped into properly.

Proyecto Latino de Utah Director Tony Yapias says, "There is about 23 percent of eligible Latino voters who have never voted or registered to vote, and there is a certain percentage of another 10 to 15 percent who have registered to vote but haven't [voted]."

The effort focuses on ousting lawmakers working at the state level and not on the federal level. Yapias says similar movements are happening in other states.

Yapias says he does not support illegal immigration, like many conservatives. But he says many people who aren't Latino feel new rules, like Arizona's immigration law, deal too harshly with illegal immigrants who are already in the country.

Plus, not all conservatives see eye-to-eye on what should be done about illegal immigrants living in the U.S. Even conservative groups like the Sutherland Institute have been reported as saying there should be a civil way to deal with the immigrants already here while other groups ask for immediate deportation.

"The general voter in Utah, even though they're conservative, they're more compassionate," Yapias says, "and I believe they are the ones that are going to vote some of these legislators out."

Proyecto Latino de Utah will work with other groups to vote out state lawmakers who are trying to bring a law similar to Arizona's immigration law to Utah. Their first target is Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, who says he's getting support from Latino groups, too.

"I actually have spoken to two different groups who, just this week alone, that want to support me. They're going to come out and testify on behalf of the bill," he says.

Sandstrom says he believes the move to vote him out over his upcoming bill will fall short. He says it won't get the support that members of Proyecto Latino de Utah are expecting because many Hispanics have become American citizens legally.

"It's actually kind of a sad state of affairs when simply wanting to enforce the law and the rule of law you're considered not compassionate or even have the accusation of being a racist," Sandstrom says.

He also takes exception with people who criticize his bill when it hasn't been finished yet. The bill is in its final stages, and Sandstrom says it will address many concerns Latinos have had with the Arizona bill.

E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com

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