TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — After 26 years of living in America, one Eastside woman voted for the very first time on Thursday after gaining U.S. citizenship.
51-year-old Kathy McClain is from Ontario, Canada.
“I feel at home here, this is home," said McClain. "I feel American.”
McClain met her husband in 1998 and moved to America shortly after.
“My mom always said since I was 7, I wanted to move to America. She called me her American baby," said McClain.
She's lived in the U.S. with a green card until this year.
“I read online that prices were going up for citizenship, and naturalization on April 1st," McClain said. "And it was about a $400 difference.”
The price hike and a growing interest in voting led her to apply for citizenship in April. A few months later on June 7th, McClain was sworn in as a U.S. citizen. She applied for her voter ID that same day.
“Oh my God, I can actually vote!" McClain exclaimed. "Then it was like, ‘I have a voice now.’”
To celebrate, McClain got a tattoo with the date of her citizenship swearing in ceremony.
McClain voted for the first time in a U.S. election on Thursday, changing her life forever. She says her husband went with her to celebrate and join in on the excitement.
“I walk in," McClain said. "Then I’m just wide-eyed like, ‘Oh my God, I'm here!”
McClain says she couldn’t have reached this point if it weren’t for the support of her husband and her community at the VFW Post #549.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
