For years, Nicolas Mantovani believed his vote would not make a difference. Now, after more than a decade as a U.S. citizen, he is preparing to vote for the first time.
Mantovani came to the United States from Argentina as a child. He spent much of his education in the country on a student visa, later becoming a permanent resident and eventually a U.S. citizen.
With citizenship came the right to vote, but Mantovani, 48, said he never felt like he understood the system well enough to participate.
“2010 is where I gained my privilege to vote,” Mantovani said. “That’s a privilege that I never used.”
Part of his hesitation came from not understanding how elections worked. He said he questions how much one individual vote could matter, especially when it came to presidential elections and the Electoral College.
“My individual vote, my single vote, it really doesn’t make a difference,” Mantovani said.
That mindset stayed with him for years.
Now, as a Miami Beach resident, Mantovani is preparing to cast his first ballot. He said he wants to take advantage of the opportunity he once overlooked and become more involved in what is happening in his community.
For him, learning about politics has become part of preparing to vote.
His experience is also why he wants to encourage younger voters who may also be preparing to vote for the first time. Mantovani knows what it feels like to be confused about the process, and he believes that feeling should not stop someone from getting involved.
“You don’t have to be an engineer to go vote. If you’re lost like I was and you don’t know exactly who the candidates are, there’s a lot of information online,” he said.
Mantovani’s first election will be a new experience, but he sees it as an opportunity to make up for the years he spent sitting out.
His message to younger voters is simpler: take the time to learn, ask questions and understand why you are voting.
“I want to show the young, the new generations, that they have an opportunity to raise their voice and go vote,” he said.
