An estimated 13.1 million Latinos are expected to vote in November, which increases the United States total by 9 percent. This increase in turnout can be attributed to many Latino-Americans reaching the voting age as well as immigrants becoming legal citizens.

However, there is still fear among Latino voters, especially in Salem, Massachusetts where there have been reports of "harassment and intimidation" from election workers. Many minorities said that they experienced harassment during the 2012 and 2014 elections.

Harassment and Intimidation

Back in 2014, newly legalized U.S. citizen Altagracia Florian was about to vote for the first time when a police officer harassed her. Florian said that the officer told her, "Surely you must have stolen that," before taking away her sample ballot.

Another Salem resident Yoleny Ynoa said that when he went with his mother to vote in 2014, a poll worker and police officer told him to leave her mother alone. The state law of Massachusetts implies that voters can have assistance while inside the voting booth.

"My mom was afraid. She told me she doesn't want to vote anymore because she doesn't want me to get in trouble," Ynoa revealed. A group of volunteer interpreters was also prohibited from assisting voters back in the 2012 election.

Salem State professor Tiffany Chenault observed the 2012 election at the Bentley School where the said incidents happened. She said, "People were being treated very disrespectfully and even a bit racist. As someone who studies voting inequality, just to witness the disparities that people had in regard to access to vote blew my mind."

Cheryl LaPointe

Organizations such as the North Shore Community Development Coalition, Salem Latino Leadership Coalition and Point Neighborhood Association are pointing out City Clerk Cheryl LaPointe. The groups are saying that LaPointe won't sign a memorandum of understanding regarding voting rights of minorities.

"When you're running an election, you can't choose one group over another. I have been working diligently to help aid the Latino population who don't speak English real well," LaPointe said.

LaPointe also said that she has given her poll workers proper training and is hoping for the best in the upcoming November elections. One of the poll workers, Joseph Szymanski, said that the allegation of harassment is "a lie." He added that many Latino voters have no idea on how to vote. Szymanski is also puzzled why these people are allowed to vote in his country.

"They come here and demand that we speak their language. Not that they learn our language in our country. They want us to learn their language," he said.