CARSON CITY -- A drive to register 80,000 new voters in Nevada and five other states has passed its halfway mark.

The effort by the national group Mi Familia Vota targets states with high proportions of Latino residents, according to executive director Ben Monterroso.

"Places that not only are the high concentration of Latinos, but it also happens that at least three out of the six states are key states where it's expected that will make a difference in who will be the president of this country - i.e.: Florida, Colorado and Nevada."

He says the other states are California and Texas.

The group has a policy of registering all comers at places such as supermarkets, libraries and community events.

While Mi Familia Vota is nonpartisan, Monterroso says they do have certain qualities they'd like to see in a candidate to address the priorities of the Latino community.

"A candidate that is going to look for access to health care, access in quality education for our kids, for more jobs for our community. A candidate that is going to be looking for fixing the immigration reform."

More than 27 percent of Nevadans identify themselves as Latino or Hispanic.

Monterroso says 2000 was a turning point, when more Latinos began to get involved in civic participation. But while the percentage of Latino voters has grown since then, he says they're still not up to parity with the Anglo or African-American communities.

"We have a goal this time to get 12 million Latinos out to vote, which would be (up) 26 percent from 2008. However, I don't think that still gets us to what we need to be, but I think that it's significant progress."

He says educating and then motivating new voters are the next steps.

The organization is also active in helping eligible people apply for U.S. citizenship.