Where Are The Millennial Politicians?


If you ask American students what they aspire to do after high school and college, you will hear a multitude of typical responses: doctor, engineer, scientist, musician, author. This generation – arguably the most talented and educated within history – breathes with a fire that promises to propel both our nation and the world forward.

Unfortunately, there is one profession that youth seldom claim an interest in for the future: politics. According to Dr. Jennifer Lawless of American University, the vast majority of students she surveyed across the United States demonstrated no inclination to run for office later in life. Parents and elders are similarly inclined: a 2013 Gallup poll shows that 64 percent of older generations said that they would not like their children to get involved in the political process

This may not seem like a big problem at first glance. One may ask: “politics isn’t for everyone, right?”

Unfortunately, the reluctance of today’s students to pursue elected office will have devastating consequences unless we choose to change our course now. Consider the following statistic: there are over 500,000 public offices in the United States of America. Half a million positions open. This includes members of Congress, state legislators, sheriffs, mayors, secretaries of state, city councilmembers, county commissioners, public attorneys, clerks, governors, and so on.

If Millennials keep from filling these jobs with our talent, we risk letting our nation lose to public officials who prey on the apathy of the people. We risk letting power get into the wrong hands. And we deprive our country of the intelligence and capabilities we have as energetic citizens. That is not the way we will improve this country for future generations.

That is why we must adopt a new paradigm when it comes to political activism. We must stop treating politicians like “dirty laundry.” Rather, we must respect the positions they hold and seek to fill them with new blood. We must view running for office as an honor – not as something that will inevitably cause us to become corrupt. And we must accept the fact that voting, organizing, and canvassing is only part of the effort; it won’t mean much if we ourselves are not standing up to make a change as candidates.

We must start now, with young adults in college considering higher offices. Before you dismiss this notion, think about it. Our government today does not adequately represent the interests of our generation.

Public officials who are largely in their 40’s and above will never be able to understand what kind of difficulties we face today. Only a peer can do that! Student activists in city councils and state legislatures can provide fresh outlook college debts, LGBT rights, immigration, job creation, and economic stability.

Many are skeptical of this approach. But as the Nevada State Director for the Campaign for a Presidential Youth Council and Youth for National Change, I have seen how enthusiastic young people can be about politics if we simply take the time to engage them.

We have a crucial decision to make. Are we going to let our country continue down its current path of old ideas and gridlock? Or will we take a stand together as one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all? The choice is up to us.

Featured image courtesy of the author.