We are joining NPR this week in a special reporting project, calledA Nation Engaged. It's exploring whether Americans believe their vote counts. WUWM talks to brand new U.S. citizens who'll be able to vote for the first time in this fall's presidential election.
Thailand native Xou Chang was one of about 100 people from nearly 40 countries who became a citizen at an outdoor naturalization ceremony on Tuesday in Milwaukee.
"I'm so happy to be American citizen. I can travel out of state and have the right to vote for the president and have...more freedom," Chang says.
Chang says he intends to use his new right to vote this fall, but hasn't yet decided for whom. Perhaps Mexico native Fernando Mercadillo is a bit more prepared for the elections.
"We have been paying close attention to both parties and following everything that's going on," Mercadillo says. He adds that he "most definitely" will be at the polls on Election Day. He's lived in the United States for nearly 30 years, and says it was "frustrating" to watch politics from the sidelines.
Another person who’s pleased to become a citizen at this time -- because he’ll be able to vote in fall -- is Jorge Rossette. He's been keeping tabs on the tumultuous race for the White House. Rossette believes his vote in the U.S. will carry more weight than the votes he cast in his native Mexico.
"It's supposed to be a democracy, but it has been ruled by the same party for a long time...it seems that things are not changing," Rossette says.
READ: Amid Long Voting Lines And Claims Of A 'Rigged System,' Does My Vote Matter?
SisayShashu of Ethiopia is a harsher critic of elections in his native country. He says he didn't think his vote in Ethiopia counted.
"Ethiopia is not like this country, election is false, just if you vote with one person they'll throw out, and they'll put what person they need. So this is a very nice country, we love very many things here," a friend of Shashu said, translating for him. Shashu says as a new U.S. citizen, he plans to vote regularly. So does Mayra Perez, who was born in Mexico. She even predicts how it'll make her feel to mark a ballot for the first time.
"Empowering, definitely. I feel like I actually have a voice now that will count and have an influence in my future, along with other citizens too," Perez says.
Another citizen just sworn in sounds just as passionate about voting, "because I have kids, and we know kids are the future of tomorrow." Veronica Tabifor was born in Cameroon. She says she voted consistently when she was living there, and is eager to transfer the habit to her new polling place in the U.S.
"This is a country of immigrants, that everybody that comes in, they have their own voice, they have their own contribution," Tabifor says. She adds that new citizens who vote have the opportunity to shape global developments.
"America is the number one country and people have a lot of advantages (and) they help to direct the rest of the world," Tabifor says.
There's been a lot of talk this election about the role of convention delegates, and whether their decisions will matter more than voters’, when it comes to choosing the party nominees. Yet Mayra Perez, who says she'll feel empowered on Election Day, insists every vote counts. "One person plus one person equals many people," Perez says.
Like-minded new citizens are so eager to vote that a number of them registered immediately after they were sworn in. The League of Women voters had a table set up nearby for that purpose.
