By now, it has been established that Latino voters are a diverse group and a crucial electorate that will help determine the next president of the United States.

But here is what’s new to know about the impact of Latino voters: It will be felt in places one might not expect.

“Moving beyond the Southwest and Florida, Latino voters can also influence the election results in ‘nontraditional’ states like North Carolina, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia, ” said Matt Barreto, co-founder of Latino Decisions, a polling firm. “Those states have had substantial growth in the Latino population and among voters, based on our analysis of census data and statewide voter rolls.”

Florida-based political analyst Charles Garcia noted earlier this year that in North Carolina, the number of registered Hispanic voters has almost doubled to more than 130,000 since the last presidential election.

“President Obama won North Carolina in 2008 by 14,000 votes,” Garcia said. “In 2008 there were 68,000 registered Latino voters, and a whopping 84% of them participated in the election.”

Polling experts say this shift will affect the 2012 election.

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