Hispanic voters played a key role in several states during the mid-term elections held yesterday throughout the United States.

In California, they voted several controversial measures limiting the rights of immigrants.

But in Texas, they helped George W.

Bush, a leading Republican, to a resounding victory, while in Florida his brother Jeb Bush appears to have benefitted from the votes of the Cuban exile community.

According to exit polls, the Hispanic voters were the only ethnic group to increase their participation in these elections.