Now I Can Vote in a Presidential Election: Maria’s Story
Maria, a new US citizen, is very excited to be voting in her first presidential election in the United States this year. As a learner at the Literacy Center since 2018, she has practiced her English during her tutoring sessions and her group classes at the Literacy Center. Her tutor, Denise, helped her to prepare to become a citizen by explaining the Constitution, quizzing her on the 100 questions, and practicing for the interview with her.
Maria says, “I studied for a long time!” She would listen to the questions on CD while driving in her car, and used many different materials to help her learn. She was nervous for her interview, but passed and became a citizen in August 2019. Denise accompanied Maria to the Secretary of State to apply for her enhanced ID and register to vote.
Denise says of Maria, “I love Maria. I want her to be very successful. She deserves to be a full participant in society, and voting is one way to do that.”Maria encountered some challenges with keeping everything updated through a move to a new home during COVID closures, but she was diligent in making sure she did everything necessary to keep things up-to-date. She successfully voted for the first time in the US in the August primary.
Maria notes her excitement to participate in the November election, to cast her vote for president, the senate, and all levels of government. During their tutoring session last week, Maria and Denise looked over their ballots, reading through the proposals and looking at the various positions. Maria went home afterwards and did the same thing with her husband, who had become a citizen in 2018 and is also voting in his first presidential election.
Do you know someone who needs to improve their English skills to accomplish their citizenship goals? We offer tutoring and classes that can help. Interested learners can fill out this form online to get started.