So we’re down to just hours until this election will finally be decided. And we have all been inundated with all kinds of propaganda and information trying to persuade us to vote one way or the other. But more than ever this year, we were repeatedly reminded to register to vote. From commercials to concerts to canvassers on the street, we were encouraged by what felt like every celebrity and every band to get registered. So many of us take our right to vote for granted, but what if you not only couldn’t vote but had to be reminded of it everywhere you looked for an entire year? Well Nakiya Vasi Schurman, a British citizen who has permanent residency in the United States, decided she couldn’t sit back and just do nothing. So she decided to get in the game and volunteer for Barack Obama’s campaign, even though she knew she’d be sitting out on November 4th.
Schurman, who moved to Maryland at the age of 12, lived in the United States as a minor under her parents H-1 visa and later on a student visa. She recently got married to a U.S. citizen and therefore obtained a green card, also referred to as lawful permanent residency. However, people who have green cards through marriage are considered to have “conditional” status for two years. Meaning, if they get divorced in the first two years of the marriage, the green card is revoked. After two years, they can petition for non-conditional status which means they can remain in the United States as a permanent resident even if they get divorced. But only U.S. citizens can vote. Schurman will be eligible for U.S. citizenship after she has had a non-conditional green card for three years, at which point she can begin the lengthy and expensive process to become a citizen and earn her right to vote.
As a volunteer with Obama’s campaign, Schurman has been making phone calls to undecided voters on behalf of Obama and democratic candidates in Maryland as well as reaching out to fellow Obama supporters to find more volunteers. She even traveled to Pennsylvania to canvass door to door and talk to voters in the battleground state about Obama’s platform.
“Not being able to vote is extremely frustrating, especially with pivotal elections such as the 2004 presidential election and this year. Also, not being able to vote for local and state representatives has become an increasing frustration since I am trying to get more informed about those elections. However, I really do feel now that I am making a difference in the campaign even without voting. My vote is only one, but I am calling people and talking to people, so perhaps my time with them could be the tipping point for them to vote as well and then I have done more than I ever could by simply showing up to the polls. More importantly though, it makes me feel empowered, like I have a chance to make a real impact and difference and it has honestly made me feel proud of myself that I’m giving time to help,” said Schurman.
And she’s not alone. Volunteers all over the state of Maryland have joined Obama’s “Drive for Change” campaign and set up carpool pickups all over the state. Each weekend they drive to Pennsylvania and Virginia to go knock on doors and try to sway the vote for Obama in these important battleground states. Schurman said, “The volunteers are incredibly diverse, not just in race but age, religion and occupations. Another thing that stood out for me is that I've heard so many people say that they've never done this before, just like me. I think this is particularly important because it shows you not only how important this race is, but how many people have been energized into activity from one man. I think that shows a lot about how influential of a leader Obama can be.”