A record-breaking 27.3 million Latinos are eligible to vote this year (a 40 percent increase from 2008) and yet many most-likely won’t, even in a year when Latinos have been front and center in the nation’s political dialog.

Thirty-nine percent of those polled by the Washington Post said there was a less than 50 percent chance that they will show up to the polls on Nov. 8. This is compared to 11 percent of whites and 13 percent of blacks.

Low voter turnout in Latino communities is distressingly well documented. In the 2014 midterm elections, for example, only 27 percent of those eligible voted compared with 46 percent of whites and 41 percent of blacks. In 2012 it was 48 percent, compared with 64 percent of whites and 66 percent of blacks.

Overall Latino turnout will probably be a little better this year in light of the fact that the presidential nominee of a major party is openly disparaging Latinos and immigrants, but why should it be any less than black or white turnout?

Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States, and its youngest demographic. According to Pew Research, 60 percent are millennials (18-33) or younger.

This means that in the coming decades, our share of the demographic is going to become larger and larger, and unfortunately it means that unless more of us vote, the U.S. electorate is going to become less and less representative of its people. More and more policies will cater to the needs of certain demographics (those who are voting) at the expense of others (who aren’t).

This isn’t just about making your voice heard as an individual, although we’ve published a guide to state and local propositions where your individual voice will count for something.

This is about our collective voice as a demographic.

Donald Trump’s appalling rhetoric has probably cost the Republican party the Latino vote for a generation or more.

But if we want the Democratic Party to take our concerns seriously we have to demonstrate that we are at least somewhat politically engaged.

If democrats believe that they have our vote by default, or that we won’t even show up to vote then what incentive do they have to really follow through on any of their promises?

For this reason we urge you to vote, our nation’s future depends on it.