As president of the Bonneville County Young Democrats here in Idaho Falls, my main purpose and goal while in this role is to recruit and appeal to the younger Democratic voters. Beyond that, I have what I feel could be considered a loftier goal. I wish to appeal to young members of our community here in Bonneville County who are not affiliated with the Democratic Party.
What do I mean by this? I’m specifically speaking towards the young demographic of voters or non-voters, not currently engaged in the political system or any type of activism. Currently there are 16,118 unaffiliated voters registered within Bonneville County. Around 8,831 of those are between the ages of 18 to 44. The median age in Idaho Falls is 33 to 34 years old. With that being stated, that is nearly 9,000 unreached members of the community that do not have a direct affiliation with a political party.
My work with the Bonneville Young Democrats focuses on that demographic. If these young members of the community could be swayed to vote for Democratic candidates, to be involved in political activism within their community, and to be engaged with the Young Democrats organization here in Bonneville county, it could lead to major wins for Bonneville County.
Looking at the members of the Democratic Party between the ages of 18 and 44 we see that there are 2,685. That is roughly 3,000 voters that could be showing up during elections and voting initiatives. Beyond that, we need those members of the community to engage beyond national elections.
As President of the Bonneville Young Democrats, I plan to engage unaffiliated and Democratic voters between the ages of 18 and 35 through activism, community engagement, political planning and support. My goal as president for these members of our community is to create a space where they feel comfortable, safe, and engaged. I would like to ensure that their needs are met and that they feel as though the activism and work that they are a part of is making a strong difference within their community. I feel if these members of the community are engaged and feel as though they have a voice then maybe just maybe we could see great success within the Democratic Party.
To the readers of this column that are between the ages of 18 and 35 that want to know how they can become engaged in our community and be involved within political activism, the Bonneville County Young Democrats are here to support you. To the marginalized communities, to the members of the community that feel they are underrepresented and haven’t been heard within politics here in Idaho, and to those that may have voted previously for politicians that don’t truly represent their values, the Bonneville Young Democrats see you. We hear you. And we are here to support you and be a pathway for engagement. We would love nothing more than to give you a voice and a political purpose.
Chance Marshall is a political organizer and president of the Bonneville County Young Democrats, where he chartered the chapter to amplify youth voices in Idaho politics. A former conservative turned progressive after a transformative personal journey, he was raised across the Rural South and Urban West, bringing a uniquely cross-cultural perspective to Idaho’s political landscape.