Utah Tech international students’ thoughts on voting, 2024 election

This story is published as part of U.S. Democracy Day and the Utah College Media Collaborative, a cross-campus project bringing together emerging journalists from Salt Lake Community College, the University of Utah, Utah State University and Utah Tech University.

Across the United States, most international students will not be among the lines that will be formed at voting stations in anticipation of who will be named the next president.

Did you know there are over 1 million international students in the United States, and at Utah Tech University, there are around 180 international students? However, this is a portion of the population that will not be voting but will be as affected by the upcoming election’s outcome.

Most international students are temporary residents, which makes them ineligible to vote. In order to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, meet your state’s residency requirements, be 18 years or older and be registered to vote. The process of becoming a U.S. citizen is often too time-consuming for international students within the period they will be a student; therefore, voting is not an option.

Leonardo Mendez Iporre, a junior finance major from Bolivia, said both citizens and noncitizens are affected by the upcoming election due to policies and taxes. Mendez Iporre thinks it’s important to vote, but he also thinks it is important to go through the process to have the right to vote. He said he feels he would be disrespecting America if he could vote because it is not his country yet.

“However, if you went through the process… and are here contributing to a better future in America, then you should have a say because it also became your country,” Mendez Iporre said.

Regardless of not being able to vote, Mendez Iporre is finding other ways to be involved in the election by paying attention to the news, making informed decisions and spreading awareness of voting.

Mendez Iporre said: “If you really want to spread awareness, it is just listening to people and putting out your arguments. If you have solid arguments, they should be enough to spread your ideas.”

Samuel Tschumi, a sophomore biology major from Switzerland, is on the same page as Mendez Iporre, that only once citizenship is gained should international students be allowed to vote. Additionally, he said that it is crazy how much politics divides friends and family.

“I feel like it’s kind of sad that only two parties are represented in American elections because I feel like it’s what divides the nation, the fact that they have to pick a side,” Tschumi said.

Tschumi said he believes he does not have enough background information to make an informed decision even if he could vote. Therefore, he is not too involved in the upcoming election but just observing.

“It’s more something to gain citizenship and then getting the right to vote than allowing international students to vote,” Tschumi said. “We are here for a short time, most of us, and so even if we have our opinion, I don’t think it’s going to impact the United States.”

Ives Hong, a junior psychology major from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, understands the perspective around noncitizens being unable to vote. However, with plans to become a citizen in the future, Hong said he feels he should be able to vote.

“I’m under the same Constitution as any American walking around, like any of my colleagues or any of my friends,” Hong said. “Come election year, if I’m planning on being here, I should have the right to have some sort of say in America’s vote.”

Hong said this election will affect more than just American citizens, which is something that needs to be reflected upon.

Hong said: “We need to reconsider that America is a big entity around the world, not just within the lands of America. I’m from Vietnam, and America’s decisions affect Vietnam, many other Asian countries or countries everywhere.”

Hong also said he feels the same as many Americans right now because there is a lot at stake during this election. Since he can’t vote, Hong said he is still participating in the election through his freedom of speech of talking about the government and the upcoming election.

Noa Jaguenaud-Tachet, a sophomore exercise science major from France, said one of the main differences from his country, is that people in the U.S. are not afraid to state their opinions. For Jaguenaud-Tachet, he has only been in the U.S. for about a year. Due to this, he said he is not fully involved in the election because he does not know enough information for either side. He also said people need a lot of knowledge about politics from both parties before they vote.

“I feel like sometimes [citizens] can be a little bit blind about all of this,” Jaguenaud-Tachet said. “It’s the same case in every country. People have strong opinions, but what do they really know?”

Linda Kujat, a senior business major from Germany, also said it’s important for voters to be informed on what they are voting on. While she would like to be able to vote, she doesn’t think it’s the right decision since many international students leave within a few years to return to their home country. Despite this, Kujat said she encourages anyone in her home country as well as the U.S. to vote.

“I feel if you don’t vote, then you just leave it up for all the other people,” Kujat said. “Even if you have a small [political] direction, just vote.”

Before taking a stance to cast a vote, make sure time is taken to properly make an informed decision. Part of this is listening to the perspectives of others, including those not able to vote like international students.

“I think the government, the American government, is missing out on the say of a very small but important population living in America currently, which are legal immigrants,” Hong said.

Alyssa Bayles reported and wrote this story as a student with Utah Tech University’s Sun News Daily. Her article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org.