Foreign students follow U.S. elections

Engineering junior Joan Jose Martinez, a native of the Dominican Republic, can't vote in a presidential primary this spring. But that doesn't mean he's not paying attention to the election campaigns.

"Of course I'm concerned with the outcome," he said. "Who becomes the president of the United States affects everyone in the world, whether they care for politics or not."

The primaries have been the focus of media attention around the world in recent weeks - and have grabbed the attention of international students at Penn as well.

International interest in the primaries has been sparked by a number of reasons, including the historic nature of Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, international students said.

"The Democrats, especially Obama and Hillary, make it extremely exciting because they both are minorities," Nandita Mittal, a College freshman from India, said.

Other students cited technology and voter participation as reasons they find U.S. elections intriguing and different.

"The effect of technology on the elections, like the CNN YouTube debate, is impressive," Dhinakaran Chinappen, an Engineering senior from the African island of Mauritius, said. "It's interesting to realize how fast the technological era has changed how the candidates share information."

Martinez added that the public's role in the primaries provides a contrast to elections outside U.S. borders.

"I think it's great how involved the general public is with picking the candidates, especially given the turnout the primaries have received thus far," he said. "In many places, candidates are still chosen by party heads, often over brokered deals that never really come to light."

Interest in the elections is not only prominent among Penn students - concern for the outcome of the primaries extends to their families back home as well.

"My family follows the election somewhat enthusiastically . everyone's invested in the result of the American elections and my family sees that," Martinez said. "Above all, we hope the elections produce a president who will foment economic and political stability."

Chinappen agreed, saying his family in Mauritius has also expressed interest in the elections.

"My mother is an economist, so she's definitely concerned," he said. "She'll ask me questions about the elections - 'What is Romney doing?'"

And some foreign students who are citizens in multiple countries say they are excited to vote in this election.

College sophomore Daniella Mak is a citizen in the United States, Brazil - where voting is compulsory - and Hong Kong, where citizens currently have no say in electing their leaders. Mak cited her inability to vote in Hong Kong as a major reason for participating in the U.S. primaries.

"If I'm denied a chance to be politically active in one country, I think I should take advantage of my right to vote" in the United States, she said.

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