Puerto Rican retiree Ferdinand, 62, and I, 18, caucused for our first time today. We met in line at precinct 502700 for the Nevada Democratic caucus at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Though it’s a sunny day on Feb. 20, the Ansari Business Building casts a shadow over all of us, making it cool.
A Starbucks cup slips from a woman’s hand, its pink fluid dashing upon the concrete. Students gasp with disappointment, and just like that, the moment is over. We side step the spill as the line advances, as a man calls over a caucus volunteer about the mess.
The man, Ferdinand, wears a white, scraggly beard, a beanie embroidered with his name and a rugged jacket. He’s not much shorter than myself, about 5-foot-6. But what he lacks in height, he makes up for in vigor.
The young volunteer says the mess isn’t part of his job, but will find someone to help.
Soon, the old sir and I stand at the threshold of voter registration. My papers take longer to process, so he passes me.
He’s gone only for a moment before returning to talk about the spill again.
I see Ferdinand again when we’re finally inside the building for the caucus registration line.
When asked for his choice candidate, he laughs, saying he doesn’t know much. He came to learn about the candidates, having no knowledge of either. He even had a hard time finding the university, even though he lives nearby.
Ferdinand isn’t keen on technology. He doesn’t own a cell phone or an email address.
He found out about the caucus through a paper in his door, which he carries. Excitedly, he unfolds the sheet of paper, which simply reads, “Nevadans for Hillary,” in handwritten blue letters. The date, time and location of the caucus are written below.
Ferdinand explains he’s new to the area, having lived in Reno only seven months after moving from Seattle. He loves traveling and seeing new places. Since retiring some years ago from life in Puerto Rico, he’s traveled across the United States on Greyhound buses.
He recalls adventures in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore and San Diego. California, he notes, was beautiful yet so much colder than people said it would be.
So why settle in Reno? In a thick accent, he insists he “enjoys going to restaurant” and really likes the city and its people.
Ferdinand says he’s voted before in Puerto Rico.
He came to the United States sometime after his college years for the social security benefits, he says. In his country, the process was harder, he adds, grinning with a chuckle.
In Puerto Rico, he was a construction worker. In the States, he works in supermarkets. He describes with joy a love of seeing the fresh milk and vegetables. He especially likes Mexican supermarkets and recommends I visit them.
It’s 12:15 p.m. now. We near the registration table.
Ferdinand grows agitated. He insists for coffee — no sweetener, no creamer, just black coffee.
He rants that he would have preferred to just fill out a form with his vote and head home.
Other caucus-goers grumble about what they view as an excessively lengthy process.
After 90 minutes in line, Ferdinand and I separate for precincts. I don’t see him again that afternoon when my session concludes two hours later with Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders winning 10 delegates from Precinct 502700.
Washoe County has a large Latino population, yet few are politically active, the Nevada Media Alliance reported. Ferdinand seems like an exception in all this — a voter who came simply by being asked.
The note in Ferdinand’s door marks the Clinton campaign’s continued efforts to hold the Latino vote. Still, the outreach attempts were not enough to break the sway of Sanders, who won the Latino vote in Nevada. Clinton won the state’s primary overall with 5.5 percentage points above Sanders.
As the Times reports, Clinton’s loss of the Latino vote may have a greater implications as the nation continues in its presidential primaries and caucuses.
Still, regardless of how the votes fall, I hope Ferdinand is happy.
