Nine Long Island community groups are kicking off a voter registration drive for Latino immigrants ahead of the November elections, they announced in a press conference Thursday.

The groups, including the Long Island Immigrant Alliance, say they plan on placing ads, making phone calls and using the addresses of new citizens to register voters. They also plan to teach new voters where to vote and how to read English ballots.

Latinos are the fastest growing minority on Long Island. Last year, nearly 15,000 Latinos became U.S. citizens and thousands more turned 18 and are therefore eligible to vote. It?s just a matter of getting them to go out to the polls, activists say.

"This process that we're initiating today is going to include Latinos from one tip of the Island to the other tip,? Luis Valenzuela, of the Long Island Immigrant Alliance, says.

Immigrant advocate Rev. Allen Ramirez says it?s all about empowerment. "This community is growing and the potential is there for us to be the ones that make the difference in this next election,? he says.

Hofstra University political science professor says Ramirez may be right. She says the Hispanic vote could determine a close presidential election between Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

The groups have set a goal of registering at least 2,500 new citizens before November.