Surge of early Latino voters could clinch the presidency for Clinton, with a strong turnout in crucial states like Nevada, Florida and North Carolina

• e-mail

An increasing number of Latinos have already cast their votes, boosting Hillary Clinton's chances at winning the presidential election even as early turnout among African-Americans has dropped.

Arizona, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, and Nevada all showed that early votes among Latinos amounted to more than 50 per cent of the total turnout reported in 2012, according to the New York Times.

Latinos are traditionally underpolled due in part to language barriers, and it remains unclear whether similar numbers will be sustained on Election Day.

Clinton, whose lead over opponent Donald Trump has stabilized at around three points in national polls, visited Hispanic and Caribbean communities in Florida on Saturday in an attempt to galvanize voters in the prize state.

Trump's campaign rhetoric and controversial attacks on Judge Gonzalo Curiel and former Miss Universe Alicia Machado may very well cost him the election by damaging his support among the largest minority group in the US.

An increasing number of Latinos have already cast their votes, boosting Hillary Clinton's chances at winning the presidential election against Donald Trump 

In Clark County's Las Vegas, a line snaked around the Mexican supermarket Cardenas, which stayed open until 10pm to accommodate early voters

On Friday, more than 57,000 votes were cast in Clark County alone, setting a single-day record that prompted political analyst Jon Ralston to declare: 'Trump is dead'

Latino voters overwhelmingly favor Clinton at 67per cent compared to Trump's 19per cent, according to a Washington Post/Univision poll.

In Florida, at least 200,000 more Latinos voted by Friday than they did during the early voting period in 2012, the Times reported.

Latinos made up 14.1 per cent of all ballots cast by Tuesday in Florida, according to Catalist, a firm that works with Democrats. While figures were unavailable from 2012, it was a considerable increase from 9.6per cent in 2008.  

In Arizona, Latinos represented 13.2per cent of all early voters by Tuesday, up from 11per cent during the same period in 2012, and 8.1per cent in 2008.

In Nevada, Latinos made up 11.8per cent of early voters by Tuesday, compared to 10.5per cent in 2012 and 9.1 per cent in 2008. 

On Friday, the last day of early voting in Nevada, more than 57,000 votes were cast in Clark County alone, setting a single-day record that prompted political analyst Jon Ralston to declare: 'Trump is dead'.

Experts say Trump would need a double-digit margin on November 8th to match Clinton's early voting lead in Nevada (pictured, a man holding a Latinos for Hillary sign from October)

Ralston argued that the Democrats won on Friday by numbers greater than that of Barack Obama, who took Nevada by nearly seven points in 2012. 

Cook Political Report's David Wasserman also calculated a difficult path for Trump, who would need a double-digit margin on November 8th to match Clinton's early voting lead in Nevada.

And without Nevada, which has six electoral votes of the 270 necessary to win, Trump would have to lock down a string of battleground states in addition to breaking through Clinton's firewall.

In Clark County's Las Vegas, a line snaked around the Mexican supermarket Cardenas, which stayed open until 10pm on Friday to accommodate early voters.

'Looks like Trump got his wall after all. A wall of beautiful voters,' wrote Yvanna Cancela of the local Culinary Union, which executed a strong campaigning effort.

The day before, Democratic VP nominee Tim Kaine delivered an entire speech in Spanish to a crowd in Phoenix.

He encouraged Democratic voters in Arizona, which has only gone blue once since 1952, and said: 'For the first time in a long time Arizona is competitive.' 

The early turnout among African Americans, however, is down a few percentage points in North Carolina, Florida and Ohio (pictured, voters in California)

The early turnout among African Americans, however, is down a few percentage points in North Carolina, Florida and Ohio.

President Barack Obama, who generated historic levels of support among African Americans in both 2008 and 2012, worries now the black vote 'is not as solid as it needs to be' for Clinton. 

The president, who has been campaigning for the Democratic candidate, warned that Trump would obliterate his record, even digging up first lady Michelle Obama's White House vegetable garden. 'You think I'm joking?' Obama asked.