In the upcoming elections, the Latino electorate is more important than ever.

Over 13.1 million Latino voters are projected to cast their votes in November. The number is approximately two million higher than the 11.2 million Latino voters back in the 2012 elections, according to a report from NBC News. This means that the group could be a decisive vote in the presidential race, especially as their ballots could still be up in the air.

"Early primary results have shown that the Latino vote is still very much up for grabs, even within the nation's major political parties," Arturo Vargas of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund said.

The significance of the Latinos in the elections is increasingly apparent, but how do the candidates get the advantage in the growing electorate?

Latinos and Immigration

In a separate report from NBC News, Matt Barreto, a professor from the University of California Los Angeles professor and co-founder of Latino Decisions, said that the massive jump in the expected Latino turnout isn't just because of the population increase but also of the high emotions brewing in the community this year. For the most part, these emotions stem from the debate on issues that are personal to the demographic, most notably immigration.

"Immigration is a mobilizing issue," Barreto explained. "When people think that their personal welfare is at stake, they are more likely to participate. In the Latino community, there are few issues that can evoke emotion more than immigration."

The numbers agree with Barreto. A study by the Pew Research Center revealed that about 36 percent of all Latino voters would not vote for a candidate with opposing views on immigration policy. This includes 25 percent of Latino Republicans and four out of 10 Latino Democrats.

Education

However, immigration is not the only important issue among the Hispanic community in the upcoming elections. J.R. Gonzales of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce told TWC News that there are other issues concerning the voting block such as education.

Gonzales revealed that there has been a significant boost in Hispanics completing a post-secondary education and earning a college degree. He added, "We're still going for that and we need more of it. Education is very important."

Healthcare

Healthcare is also a very significant issue that the community is looking to address. Gonzales pointed out that some of the biggest factors in the Hispanic mortality rates are heart attacks, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

"As we look at Latinos, many of who don't have insurance, many may not have the training or education to understand the problems of such diseases and how to prevent them, healthcare becomes important," he said.