Written by Ben Elhav, Photo courtesy of Daniel Rivera
Daniel Rivera doesn’t usually vote in presidential elections, though it isn’t for lack of interest.
A third-year production design student and native of Puerto Rico, Rivera is usually unable to cast a vote in presidential elections. Despite having full citizenship, Americans from the U.S. territory can only vote for their governor and in primaries. “It’s unfair that I can’t fully express my right as an American citizen,” Rivera said. As a result, the presidential race wasn’t something he had thought about a lot before; studying in Savannah has changed all of that. Living in Georgia allows Rivera the opportunity to cast a ballot in 2020. Rivera is steadfast about being counted – if all goes well, he’ll vote in person on Election Day. “It feels rather exciting,” Rivera stated, “This is an important vote and I don’t want to leave anything to chance.”
While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is an issue present in the mind of most voters, Rivera’s unique experience explains his interest in another crucial issue: climate change. His inclination towards environmental policy has much to do with surviving Hurricane Maria, which Rivera sees as a clear example of how rampant climate change will continue to affect the planet. “Going through that experience isn’t something he’d wish on anybody,” Rivera remarked. Unfortunately, he can see similar natural disasters all too clearly in the futures of many other Americans, along with the stress and destruction that they entail. As far as the consequences of the election, Rivera immediately thinks about watching President Donald Trump discuss a desire to return to coal power on CNN. “Why would you want to do that,” Rivera stated, “We’ve harmed the planet so much and the science is staring us in the face.”
Rivera also worries about legislation that affects specific groups,and the inequities in American society embodied in the ongoing protests for racial justice. In part Rivera arrived at this conclusion as a result of his upbringing — growing up, his parents were more conservative in their values, but progressive in their politics. As a result, he came to believe that everyone in the economy should get a fair slice of the pie, and in the importance of helping others. Rivera believes that students are at an important juncture as they transition into adulthood and begin to feel the impact of legislation. “Your rights as a human being determine what you can do in your professional and personal life,” Rivera said.
Rivera maintains the presidential debates were “awful.” The way he sees it, neither candidate really answered the important questions, with Trump getting in the way of former Vice President Joe Biden’s answers, and Biden only answering to attack Trump. At the same time, he says, it clarified his position on the race. “One candidate is really erratic and probably shouldn’t be in a position of power anymore,” said Rivera. If anything, it reinforced his determination to go to the polls. As someone who can’t ordinarily vote, he is not taking this opportunity for granted. “Voting matters and has always mattered,” Rivera said. Come Nov. 3, his voice will matter, too.
