Erika Ramirez grew up in Jalisco, Mexico, became a U.S. citizen in 2023, and just cast her first vote in an American election during early voting.
Making a decision about the presidential race was difficult for Ramirez. She did not really like any of the candidates.
“The conversations with my friends about the elections are about voting for the least worst because there is no candidate that resonates with us,” said Ramirez, who is a teacher’s assistant in Richardson.
The Dallas Morning News interviewed seven North Texas first-time voters who are excited to cast their ballot. Some of the issues they care about include the economy, immigration, gun policies and women’s rights.
For some, this election is their first opportunity to vote after becoming naturalized U.S. citizens. Others recently became old enough to vote.
By Oct. 30, more than 500,000 Dallas County residents had voted in person during early voting, while another 500,000 voted by mail.
Naturalized
Ramirez, 40, immigration was at the top of her mind when deciding who to vote for.
Ramirez grew up in Mexico, but her mother was a field worker in California and became a U.S. resident during the Ronald Reagan administration when the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 granted amnesty to about 3 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
Later, her father became a legal resident, and when Ramirez was 21, she applied for and received it. About 10 years later, she decided to come to North Texas, where she had some friends, and start a new life in the U.S. for herself and her son.
Ramirez said she believes that under a Kamala Harris administration, there is a greater possibility of reaching another amnesty deal, like in the Reagan administration.
“We have many people from all over the world who have lived in this country for decades. Doing all the right things, paying taxes, cleaning, cooking, teaching, taking care of children and the elderly and all the jobs that people without legal status do are essential for this country to function,” Ramirez said. “They deserve the opportunity to be legal.”
Ramirez voted for Harris, she said, mostly because she doesn’t want Donald Trump to win. She thinks the Trump administration only benefits the wealthier class and not the working class.
In the Texas race for a Senate seat, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a Dallas Democrat, is trying to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz. Ramirez is s upporting Allred.
Women’s reproductive rights are something Ramirez is also concerned about and thinks Allred has been more empathetic to what the abortion bans mean and how that can affect thousands of lives.
Young first-time voters
In Texas alone, 2.9 million residents are between 18 and 24, according to the 2020 Census. They make up 10% of the state’s electorate.
After learning history and civics in high school and college classrooms, young Texans will be voting for the first time.
Abraham Cardenas Jr.’s main motivation to vote is his support of the Second Amendment.
The 19-year-old is a Dallas College student and aspiring firefighter. Cardenas said he wasn’t pro-gun until someone threatened to shoot up his family’s martial arts business.
“That was pretty frightening,” he said, adding the business serves children. “We tried to contact the police, but since the guy was so vague over text, they really couldn’t do much,” he said.
At that moment, Cardenas realized he couldn’t physically defend himself or his family from a shooter. Since then, he believes everyone should have a gun.
Cardenas will vote for the first time this November. He is one of the 8 million newly eligible voters who aged into the electorate this election year.
As a voting bloc, young people could be decisive in many races, including the presidential one.
“In a close race, first-time voters could make a difference, and we’re looking at potentially a very close race nationally,” said Matthew Wilson, an associate professor of political science at Southern Methodist University.
“Both candidates are courting first-time voters — people who have not participated in the past, trying to get them mobilized into their coalition,” Wilson said.
Both campaigns are putting time and effort into drawing these voters, he added.
“Donald Trump is really interested in courting and appealing to young men who may not have been very politically engaged in the past and that’s why, for example, he went on the Joe Rogan podcast,” Wilson said. “By the same token, Kamala Harris is really interested in getting some young women who may not have voted in the past engaged and participating by trying to rally them around the abortion issue.”
Family members vote differently
A family who migrated from Bolivia in 2007 and became citizens a few years ago — feel excited to exercise their rights.
Ximena and Fernando Miranda, along with their triplets Lucia, Nicolas, and Esteban, 27, all are preparing to vote for the first time.
“After so many years living here, I feel part of this society, with my vote,” Lucia Miranda said. “I can make a difference not only in my family, but in society.”
For Ximena Miranda, the voting process holds a special emotional resonance. Having longed to participate in democratic elections in Bolivia during the pandemic, she looks forward to contributing to the society she has embraced.
“Becoming citizens and getting the right to vote is significant,” she said. “I am excited knowing that my voice will finally count in shaping the future of this country. Economic policies, health care reforms and immigration are crucial to me.”
Brother Nicolas Miranda said he wants to choose a leader who “embodies strong values and offers practical solutions for education.”
Esteban Miranda emphasized the importance of being informed: “Voting is our chance to shape the next four years. We all need to be responsible for our choices.”
Fernando, father of the triplets, values the democratic process and the principles it stands for. “We live in a nation where democracy and respect for individuals are fundamental,” he said. “The act of voting symbolizes these beliefs, and it’s integral for us to play our part.”
As reported by the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, Dallas County had 1,420,223 registered voters in 2022. However, only 44.03% — 625,391 individuals — turned out to vote.
Voting as a habit
While this is the first time many voters are casting ballots, it likely won’t be the last.
Political science research has shown people who vote once are more likely to vote again.
“Voting does tend to become a habit that is either political engagement or political disengagement,” said Wilson of SMU. “The decision to vote this time does signal that a person is more likely to vote in the next election and subsequent elections as well.”
It doesn’t mean first-time voters will always vote for the same party, but by voting in this election, they will develop a habit of political participation, Wilson said.
Cardenas, the 19-year-old Dallas College student, said he believes “the Second Amendment is the amendment to protect all the others.”
He is casting his vote for former President Donald Trump because of the candidate’s pro-America values, he said.
But he is not loyal to either party, Cardenas added.
“I don’t like to stick to one side because I feel like that limits who we can choose,” he said. “This year I’m going to be voting Republican, but sometimes I might vote Democrat. It just depends on who has the best values.”