By: Eva Castillo, Director of Welcoming New Hampshire
As a naturalized citizen, I take my voting rights very seriously. Many of us come from places where the people cannot choose their country’s government, so I cannot take this privilege for granted. I remember when, as a foreign student in Michigan, I could not participate with my vote, so I volunteered my time to make sure those who could vote did not waste their chance. Today, I can proudly say I have not missed a single election since I became a citizen of this nation.
I still do electoral work with immigrants every election cycle; it is one of my favorite activities. The 2020 pandemic, however, has added an additional burden to this election season. We have been forced to adapt our Get Out The Vote efforts to the new norms of social interaction. Texting and social media messaging have supplanted the traditional door-to-door canvassing. Many people will vote by mail or absentee ballot, but there is still a lot of uncertainty about the process in general. We are trying our best to answer questions and motivate people to vote, but I must admit that I find it awkward to do this electronically and I miss the personal contact with the voters.
We have compiled and posted information in various languages on the Welcoming NH website and facebook page to make sure New Americans understand this election’s voting process. Please, feel free to share this info and message us if you need assistance.
A democracy is made stronger by the number of people that take part in the electoral process. Like they say, every vote counts, and the only vote wasted is the vote not cast.
I have my voting plan for November 3rd. How about you?
~ Eva Castillo