J’cans in the US note importance of voting
LOS ANGELES, United States — Jamaicans living in the United States (US) are upbeat about today’s midterm elections and note the importance of exercising their right to vote.
Lurlene Madourie-Matthews, who lives in Connecticut, said that “this is where we call home, and if our vote can make the country better, then we should all do our part to make a positive impact on the economy and well-being of this country”.
She was speaking to JIS News, which is visiting sections of the US as part of the Foreign Press Centers’ International Reporting Tour for the elections.
North Carolina resident Kennesha DaCosta also agreed that it’s important to vote, “because it is your right as a citizen first, and also because it gives you some control as to who will lead and direct the future of the country we live in. Additionally, whoever your vote elects is expected to advocate for your best interest as citizens of this opportunistic country”.
For Tenziah Morris, who is living in New York, the ability to help choose the country’s leaders is very important. “This is our home away from home. We are affected by the tax laws; we work and pay taxes. We need to help in the decision process,” she told JIS News.
Nicholas Gayle, who is also living in New York, noted that it is important to know the candidates and participate in the elections. “Being an immigrant, it’s a privilege to get to vote on issues affecting us and be a voice,” he added.
Florida resident Sonia Gordon said “it is a privilege for us as citizens to vote. It’s for the benefit of our future generations”.
The 2018 midterm elections take place in the middle of President Donald Trump’s first term. All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate will be contested. In addition, 39 state and territorial governorships, as well as numerous other state and local elections, will also be contested.
All these races, whether for a federal, state, or local office, are being administered by the individual state and local governments instead of at the national or federal level.
