African-Americans and Latinos are the largest minority groups in the country. As the U.S. election nears, most of them were worried that their votes will not be counted through mail-in voting. 

U.S. election
(Photo : Reutersconnect)

Democrats are divided when it comes to mail-in voting, but majority of them are pushing for it. President Donald Trump strongly opposed mail-in voting, claiming it allows for fraud.

Trump believed that many individuals could receive the mail ballots even if they are not asking for it, and there is a big chance that a huge number of votes may not be counted. 

The President's concerns also becomes the concerns of the majority of the African-Americans and Latinos in the country. They are the two largest minority groups in the country that can potentially help a presidential candidate wins this November. 

According to Pew Research Center, the Latino community is the largest community group comprised of 32 million eligible voters. Followed by the African-Americans with 30 million eligible voters.

This means that anyone between the two presidential candidates who can win the hearts of the African-Americans and Latinos can potentially get around 60 million votes. 

Blacks and Latinos consistently voice more discomfort and uncertainty about voting by mail. In a series of focus groups conducted in Philadelphia and Las Vegas by iVote and was shared in POLITICO, Black and Latino voters said the experience of voting in person "has been ingrained and they feel secure their vote will be counted."

The findings are supported by two recent polls and these are the Voter Participation Center, in partnership with Latino Decisions, and the African American Research Collaborative.

The polls showed that nearly two-thirds of Latino and Black voters prefer to vote in person instead of by mail.

"Voting is a habit, and we should be meeting voters where they are. Amidst a pandemic, we can increase turnout by emphasizing voting early through whichever option voters prefer. That includes presenting voters with all of their options to vote early, including vote-by-mail and early in-person voting," said iVote founder Ellen Kurz. 

Voters who participated in the focus groups' believed that in-person voting is the most secure option, saying the method offers little opportunity for tampering or ballot loss, as well as a chance to immediately resolve any issues with their ballots.   

It is important to note that the voice of the underrepresented groups such as Latinos and Blacks must be heard this coming election by casting and counting their votes.  

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