Why We’re Running for Office

Though seasoned politicians may be skeptical of teens’ abilities—“Maybe they ought to run for student council instead,” suggested one Kansas lawmaker—young people believe they have something to bring to the table.  

And they’re right, says Svante Myrick. At age 24, he was elected the youngest-ever mayor of Ithaca, New York, in 2011. As Svante recently told Time, “The youngest generation is pretty sure that we can do it better than the folks that have been doing it for a long time.”

Some experienced politicians are doubtful of teens’ abilities. “Maybe they ought to run for student council instead,” suggested one Kansas lawmaker. But young people believe that they have something to bring to the table.

And they are right, says Svante Myrick. In 2011, he was elected the youngest-ever mayor of Ithaca, New York. He was 24. As Svante recently told Time, “The youngest generation is pretty sure that we can do it better than the folks that have been doing it for a long time.”

When young people run for office, they tend to seek positions at the local level, which have fewer age restrictions. Candidates as young as 18 can apply for many such jobs—on the school board, on the city council, or as mayor. (At the federal level, candidates must be at least 35 to become president, at least 30 to serve in the U.S. Senate, and at least 25 to sit in the U.S. House of Representatives. But the average ages of people holding those offices generally skew much older—currently 62 for a senator and 59 for a representative.)

Plus, holding local office gives teens a chance to affect policy on the issues they care most about, including education. 

“A lot of important government activity happens at the local level,” says William Howell, a political science professor at the University of Chicago.

When young people run for office, they usually seek positions at the local level. Such offices have fewer age restrictions. Candidates as young as 18 can apply. They can be elected to the school board, the city council, or even as mayor. (At the federal level, candidates must be at least 35 to become president, at least 30 to serve in the U.S. Senate, and at least 25 to sit in the U.S. House of Representatives. But the average ages of people holding those offices are generally much older. It is currently 62 for a senator and 59 for a representative.)

Holding local office also gives teens a chance to affect policy on the issues they care most about, including education.

“A lot of important government activity happens at the local level,” says William Howell, a political science professor at the University of Chicago.

A desire to effect change is what motivated 17-year-old Tahseen Chowdhury, a senior at Stuyvesant High School in New York City, to run for the state senate. Tahseen, who will turn 18 before the Democratic primary this fall, wants to institute a tuition assistance program for young undocumented immigrants who are struggling to pay for college.

Win or lose, Tahseen says he hopes to inspire other young people to get involved in politics—and to vote. Turnout rates among 18- to 29-year-olds are historically low, especially for local elections. In Tahseen’s hometown of New York City, for example, less than 20 percent turned out for the recent mayoral election. That worries Tahseen, who says young people “have to make sure that we’re doing our best to set up our future.”

Wanting to make a change is what led 17-year-old Tahseen Chowdhury to run for New York State’s senate. Tahseen is a senior at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. He will turn 18 right before the Democratic primary this fall. He wants to set up a tuition assistance program for young undocumented immigrants who are struggling to pay for college.

Win or lose, Tahseen says he hopes to inspire other young people to get involved in politics—and to vote. Turnout rates among 18- to 29-year-olds are historically low. That is especially true for local elections. For example, in Tahseen’s hometown of New York City, less than 20 percent turned out for the recent mayoral election. That worries Tahseen. He says young people “have to make sure that we’re doing our best to set up our future.”

Young candidates have many things in common with their older counterparts, but a few things set them apart. One is the ease they have in using social media as a campaign tool.  

Young candidates have many things in common with their older counterparts. But there are a few things that set them apart. One is the ease they have in using social media as a campaign tool.

Ethan Randleas, a senior at Heights High School in Wichita who’s running for the Republican nomination for governor of Kansas, hosts campaign events via Facebook Live. He also writes about his positions (such as doing away with certain taxes) on Twitter. Bushra, meanwhile, regularly posts photos of her young volunteers hard at work, and Tahseen’s website rivals those of candidates three times his age.

And although these young candidates are fighting for serious causes, they’re not sacrificing typical teen experiences. For Ethan, that means making time to play basketball and hang out with his friends in Wichita. “I’m still being a normal kid,” he says. “I’m just also running for governor.” 

With reporting by Lucia De Stefani

Ethan Randleas is a senior at Heights High School in Wichita, Kansas. He is running for the Republican nomination for governor of Kansas. Randleas hosts campaign events using Facebook Live. He also writes on Twitter about his positions on issues, such as doing away with certain taxes. Bushra, meanwhile, regularly posts photos of her young volunteers hard at work. Tahseen’s website rivals those of candidates three times his age.

Although these young candidates are fighting for serious causes, they are not sacrificing everyday teen experiences. Ethan still makes time to play basketball and hang out with his friends in Wichita. “I’m still being a normal kid,” he says. “I’m just also running for governor.”

With reporting by Lucia De Stefani