MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — One local Latina woman got to cast her ballot for the first time in the 2024 U.S election. She talked about the importance of making your voice heard if you want to see change.
- Sol Bautista moved to the U.S in 2009 on a work visa, but she was still not able to vote, so after 12 years she acquired her U.S citizenship allowing her to vote
- This year, just over 36 million Latinos are eligible to vote — that’s a four million person increase from 2020, and six and a half million of those 36 million are in Texas
- The Texas Association of the Mexican American Chamber of Commerce said some items on the ballot Latinos will be looking at include, economic impact, and the border
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“October 22, 2024 is the first time that I voted in the United States as a U.S. citizen,” Sol Bautista said.
Bautista has been living in Texas for 12 years — she moved to the states in 2009 on a work visa, but that wasn’t enough to vote.
“If I wanted to use my voice and if I wanted to impact change or represent some of the voices that I’ve been hearing for years, I also didn’t have a way to do anything about it because you cannot vote,” she said.
But in 2021, she became a citizen to make sure her voice can be heard.
“It’s not only your right and privilege that you get to vote, but it’s also a human responsibility and a humane cause to be able to use your voice for the people who unfortunately at this moment, are not able to use it,” said Executive Vice Chair of Texas Association of the Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, J.R. Gonzales
This year, just over 36 million Latinos are eligible to vote — that’s a four million person increase from 2020, and six and a half million of those 36 million are in Texas.
“It’s important that Latinos recognize that they have the numbers — they have the political number," J.R. Gonzales said.
"They have enough registered voters go out there and affect and change the election outcome."
25 News' Dominique Leh asked TAMACC what key issues Latinos are looking at on the ballot this election —
“Latinos cast their ballot like everybody else, they think about the economy, they think about their future," Bautista said.
"They think about what’s going on — the border is one thing I think is very important to everybody."
Although those are priorities, Bautista asks her Latino voters to get informed and think about how their vote will affect future generations.
“You can be of whatever party and I can be of whatever party, and we are public servants, so our opinions don’t really matter, and our preferences don’t really matter," she said.
"What matters is how do we create a better solution for people."
