CHARLESTON, W.Va. — About 60 people who became United States citizens Monday were filled with anticipation leaving the federal courthouse in Charleston.
“I can vote!” said Sephideh Zamzami of Iran following a naturalization ceremony.
“Being able to vote,” said Osiyemi Osinowo of Nigeria of what he’s most looking forward to do.
“Voting!” Cybele Boehm of Brazil told MetroNews with a smile.
That was the common theme just over one week away from the West Virginia Primary Election May 10. The deadline to register to vote in the Primary passed, but the new citizens will be able to vote in the November General Election.
“This is something that I’ve been educating myself (on), in terms of politics, and I’m really excited about this upcoming federal election,” said Boehm. “I will be registering as a Democrat, so I’ll be voting for Hillary (Clinton) if she wins this Primary.”
Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made stops in West Virginia Monday between Ashland, Kentucky and Williamson. Osinowo said he would also be voting for the Democratic nomination.
“I’m waiting to see between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Whoever the Democratic nominee is going to be, that’s the person I’m going to be voting for,” he said. “I want it to be Bernie Sanders, but with the way things are going, it most likely wouldn’t be.”
Monday’s ceremony was led by U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin inside the Robert C. Byrd Federal Courthouse in Charleston. The applicants took an oath of allegiance, joined together to sing “America the Beautiful,” “Country Roads” and “The Star Spangled Banner.”
The Kanwaha County Clerk’s Office had a voter registration table set up in the lobby of the courthouse for any new citizen who was interested in registering for the General Election this year.
“To me, this is the country of where dreams come true, so I’m very proud of this moment to become a citizen,” Boehm said after 18 years of living in the United States.
Osinowo previously lived in New Jersey for three years and moved to Huntington four years ago.
“The people are welcoming, so it’s always been one of those things I wanted to do,” he said.
New citizens also said they were excited to serve on a jury and get their American passport.
There were nearly 30 countries represented at Monday’s ceremony.