Millennials – It’s Time To Get Running

Illustration by Carson McNamara

The bustle of hurriedly unpacked suitcases and awkward introductions floods the hallways of Brandt dormitory as freshmen prepare for a year of firsts – independent living, lawfully purchased cigarettes and the right to vote.

But what most 18-year-olds don’t know – they’re eligible to run for local office. (That’s right, they can govern the city before they can legally crack open a Hardywood Singel).

As Richmond continues to thrive as a funky college town housing one of the country’s best art programs, the quaint city reels in a younger population. With the cost of living lower than most cities, starving artists can live in the river city without, well, starving.

Despite composing a significant portion of Richmond’s population, millennials’ presence has not translated into equal representation in city government.

For an office possessing the power to implement the most immediate and direct changes for the city of Richmond, why don’t as many young people consider running for office?

It may boil down to the political generation in which millennials grew up.

Running for office simply does not appeal to many young people raised in the United States in the past two decades, and quite frankly, you can’t blame them.

Between the hanging chads of the 2000 Gore/Bush election and the multitude of filibusters during the Obama Administration, it’s unsurprising that millennials find the American political system to be ineffective and chaotic.

According to a survey conducted by the nonprofit public policy organization Brookings Institution, “the overwhelming majority of 13 to 25-year-olds view the political system as ineffective, broken and downright nasty.”

The Brookings Institution attributes this to “having come of age in a political context characterized by hyper-partisanship, gridlock, stalemate and scandal.”

Although these statements were made in regard to federal government, similar mindsets trickle down to state and local government. A lack of encouragement and sense of efficacy has led many young people to overlook the possibility of running for city office.

With the required age to run for election in the city of Richmond set at 18, hesitancy can be expected from those considering voting for a candidate on the younger side. Older voters are likely to be skeptical of millennial candidates’ young age and assumed lack of experience – but the catch 22 is the older generation is simultaneously most likely to vote in local elections.

It is no secret that younger voters don’t have a great track record for participating in local elections. According to a study conducted by Portland State University in 2015, voters older than 65 are 10 to 20 times more likely to cast a ballot in a local election than voters aged 18 to 34.

Success in local elections for candidates 18 to 35 years in age may depend on a younger voter turnout. An increase in millennial participation in local elections is necessary for millennial candidates to be elected to office. For this increase in voter turnout to occur, high schools may need to shift their focus towards politics.

Politics is typically not considered a core subject like math, science, and English – but perhaps it should be. The Brookings Institution has proposed making “political aptitude a part of the college admission process” through incorporation in testing such as the SAT, ACT or an additional exam.

Introduction and heightened exposure to politics throughout high school years may serve as encouragement for younger people to participate in elections and potentially run for office when they come of age.

“We found that young people with more exposure to politics – at home, at school, with their friends, and through the media – are far more likely to be interested in running for office,” the Brookings Institution stated.

Although exposure may not necessarily change their perspective on the ineffective nature of the American political system, the Brookings Institution believes that it would further expose the younger population to the positive side of U.S. government.  

“Sure, they see the same negative aspects of contemporary politics as everyone else. But they also see some examples of politicians behaving well, elected officials solving problems, and earnest, well-meaning candidates aspiring to improve their communities.”

Adopting politics into college admissions may be the key to increasing younger voter turnout, and in turn, encouraging millennials to run for office.

With this in mind, the 2016 election year is already looking up for Richmond’s younger generation. Between the Richmond City Council and School Board, 18 of the 58 candidates in this year’s election are under the age of 35. Despite constituting for only around 30 percent of the candidate pool, this is the largest number of millennial candidates running for office in the history of the city’s government.

Although considering a candidacy might be a stretch for most of us still in school – the quiet power of voting, and educating those around us, is significant.


Ellie Fialk. Photo by Julie TrippEleanor Fialk
Eleanor is a junior print journalism and philosophy double major with a concentration in ethics and public policy. She often writes about issues of social justice and human rights, and her dream career would include traveling the world as a documentary filmmaker. You can usually find Eleanor binge watching an entire television series in one night or planning her next backpacking trip.

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