An Immigrant Tells His New Country About Voting

By Brenna Cotter

"I see the struggle that exists right here in Philly because people don't vote, and it hurts us all. " 

                                – Vincenzo (Vinny) Varone, PA Youth Vote

Last summer, Vinny Varone attended a civic engagement panel at Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia. There were a few cops, a leader from WHYY, and some students. One young boy went up to ask this question: "So my brother got shot two weeks ago while he was playing basketball; how do we make this stop in my neighborhood?" 

"I immediately was taken aback," said Vinny. If young voters turned out in numbers, he says, gun control legislation and gun deaths might be different. "The youth are smart and care so much – the media's biggest misconception is that youth voters just don't care about politics, but they really do; they just need the resources and opportunities to put their care into action." 

Vinny speaks with a deep passion for civic engagement and voting rights. Originally from southern Italy, now a political science major at Temple University, Vinny immigrated to the United States in 2015. During this time in Italy the economy was still recovering from a deep recession and many workers' salaries were continuing to plummet. So, Vinny’s dad decided to take an opportunity with his company and move to America. Hillsborough, New Jersey to be exact.  

Vinny’s experience as an immigrant navigating the U.S. political system shaped his passion for civic engagement. When arriving in New Jersey, Varone encountered a new and very different political landscape from what he was used to. Vinny explains how, in Italy, politics is just part of your life, “everyone is involved and discussing it, but when I got to the U.S., I noticed a big difference in how people, especially young people, viewed politics and voting.”

"In Italy, I'm from a little village; the mayor is voted on by less than 2,000 people, which makes each person's vote feel like it carries a lot of weight." Local elections, he learned, have profound impacts on people's lives. But in his suburban New Jersey community Varone noticed a troubling disengagement from local politics. 

“A lot of young adults don't really understand the concept of local and state elections," Varone explains. "They would often say things like: 'I'm not registered to vote because I don't like the Presidential candidates’ – completely missing the importance of state and local races." From school funding and property taxes to environmental regulations and public safety measures, municipal and state governments shape the policies that affect our daily lives.

This disconnect is a driving force for Vinny’s work with PA Youth Vote, an organization that is dedicated to increasing political participation among young Pennsylvania voters. Vinny’s method of convincing youth to vote is rooted in empathy and genuine connection. “It's about engaging with youth in a way that doesn’t make them feel scared about politics,” he explains. Instead of using accusatory language like, “if you don't vote, you’re bad,” Vinny focuses on creating positive and supportive conversations. He validates young voters' existing care and passion. His approach is simple yet powerful: talk to young voters as peers, listen to their concerns, and help them transform these worries into political action. By removing the pressure or shame that can often be associated with political disengagement, Vinny aims to show the youth that their voices do matter and can create political change. 

Arriving in the States at a young age, Vinny received his citizenship early on and has been able to vote since he turned 18. His father Francesco had to wait almost 10 years to become a citizen and be able to vote. 2024 was his first presidential election. "It feels like a great honor to receive the privilege of voting in this great country," Francesco says. "I'm proud to participate in American democracy."

Francesco's perspective highlights the sharp contrast between how immigrants versus many natural-born American citizens view voting. After having experienced a long and complex process of becoming a U.S. citizen, Francesco cherishes his ability to cast a ballot. "The pride of being American I felt is a kind of private, intimate feeling of being part of a family, of being accepted and, in a way, to have deserved it by meeting certain criteria."

Vinny was shocked to learn how few of his peers in suburban New Jersey shared his family’s same enthusiasm about voting. "In my neighborhood, everyone was very privileged. Most people did not vote, and when asked about it, they often say, 'There is nothing here to change,'" Vinny recalls. 

That’s why, as a full-time student and member of PA Youth Vote, Vinny spends any free time he has working to increase youth voter turnout. One day Vinny hopes to go to law school and would love to work in humanitarian or immigration law, helping others. But right now voter engagement is what he is thinking about. “My experience at PA Youth Vote has been so fulfilling and makes me want to be a better person,” Vinny said, “I want to become even more involved, and keep doing this forever.” 

Why? So that he’ll have even better answers – and outcomes – for the next young boy and his brother at Simon Gratz High School. 

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Brenna Cotter is a Communications and Journalism student at the University of Pennsylvania with a passion for storytelling and social impact. She combines her skills in writing and digital strategy as part of The Daily Pennsylvanian's social media team and the Marketing Undergraduate Student Establishment.