Potential first-time voter decides not to vote

By Ariel Gomez

A strong believer in that his vote does not matter, 19-year-old Dario Maldonado, does not plan to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.

Maldonado, a freshman studying communications at Howard Community College, says his vote will have no effect on the outcome.

“Trump is clearly incompetent and lacks the necessary knowledge needed to run a country. He’s been sheltered his whole life, how can you expect a man like that whose disconnected from his people to run a country properly,” he said. “[Trump] is narcissistic.”

Maldonado specifically referenced President Trump’s denial of the death toll in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.

“He’s incompetent and uninformed, and is way too preoccupied with his image to see what the real problems facing America really are,” Maldonado said. “America has been anything but great since he stepped into office.”

According to Maldonado, a similar problem to that of the American people. A problem he acknowledges being a part of.

“I’m the problem this country is facing,” he said. “America as a whole is uninformed and unaware of the world around them. We are all more focused with being heard then listening. Every other major issue can potentially be resolved if people would listen and not be so quick to jump.”

For Maldonado, however, it’s his struggles with mental health that get in the way of him staying informed.

“Most days I think about needing to visit a psychiatrist to assess my issues, but it is something that is not accessible to me,” he said. “I struggle with mental health daily because of this.”