Advocate brings voting lesson to Center for Living Independently

Advocate Carlos Ebert Santos brought the nuts and bolts of democracy to the Center for Living Independently last Aug. 18, teaching its consumers why elections matter, how voting works, and, most importantly, why exercising their right to vote matters.

Santos, a person with a disability who is also running as an independent for the House of Representatives in Precinct 3, said the presentation at CLI’s Capitol Hill office was intended to help people with disabilities understand the voting process and exercise their right to participate in elections.

“We want to show and teach people how to register to vote, and get them connected with the resources so they can accomplish that to vote,” Santos told Marianas Press.

He said the lesson was also aimed at encouraging CLI consumers to register and participate in this year’s election.

“No matter who you pick, you have the power in your hands to vote and make change, but it starts with you making the decision to participate and use your vote,” Santos said.

Tiana Babauta, CLI Disability Services coordinator, said Santos’ presentation gave consumers a hands-on introduction to voting and encouraged them to discuss the choices in front of them.

“I'm really glad that we had the opportunity to learn, especially about what the ballot is, what a democracy is, and why it's very important,” Babauta said.

Babauta said the mock election generated discussion among participants about their preferences and demonstrated how conversations about issues are an important part of voting. She described the atmosphere during the presentation as excited and positive.

CLI consumers Raymon Dela Cruz and Florence Bhuiyan also welcomed the lesson.

Dela Cruz said he liked the presentation and enjoyed seeing everyone participate in the voting exercise.

Bhuiyan, who said she plans to vote in this year’s election, described Santos’ presentation as “really good” and said it helped her weigh her options for the election. Asked what she found most interesting about the presentation, she replied, “Everything. Everybody.”

Santos and his wife, Raquel Santos, turned what could have been a classroom-style lesson into a mock election in which CLI consumers decided an issue close to everyone’s stomach: whether their snack would be an apple or a tangerine.

Before the vote, Santos explained what a ballot is, stressed that each person’s vote belongs to that individual, and discussed why voters cannot be paid or bribed to vote a certain way. Participants were then encouraged to debate the merits of apples and tangerines before privately marking their ballots and placing them into a makeshift ballot box.

The first count ended in an 11-11 tie, giving Santos another teaching opportunity—this time about runoff elections.

A second vote was held with additional participants, and apple eventually prevailed, 16-10. Santos then used the result to explain that those on the losing side still had options in a democracy: They could vote again in a future election, advocate for their choice, and try to persuade others.

The presentation also covered practical information about voter registration and participating in the Nov. 3 general elections. Santos distributed voter registration forms and told participants they could seek assistance from CLI coordinators or the Commonwealth Election Commission in determining what documents they need to establish eligibility and register.

For Santos, the larger lesson went beyond simply filling out a ballot.

“What I'm here to do is to help you guys learn how to vote and why it's important to vote,” he told the group.