COLUMBUS, Ohio — Students in Columbus organized and led a debate ahead of the November election, giving young voters a chance to hear directly from candidates for one City Council seat and three Columbus City School Board seats.
The event, called “Reset: Voices of a New Columbus,” centered youth voices and aimed to boost civic engagement among voters under 25, though it was open to all ages.
For Ohio State University senior Gavin Levine, attending the debate was about seeing local leaders engage directly with issues that matter to him.
“Local politics has a very direct impact on people’s daily lives. Like, for example, I would like to see more public transportation in the city. More bike infrastructure. More housing built just to address the housing crisis. And a lot of this stuff is decided locally,” Levine said.
He added that many of his peers do not follow local politics, focusing instead on national or global headlines. He said this was often influenced by social media and other media outlets, which can pull attention away from local issues.
Levine said a recent ballot measure to expand public transit in Columbus was the moment he realized how much local decisions affect daily life.
Organizers echoed that sense of urgency, noting that Generation Z is increasingly seeking to hold leaders accountable.
“We’re willing to take on hard things. We aren’t ones that are just pushovers. We want to see our world get better. We want to be somebody that’s in those roles, bringing about positive impacts on the world and holding our elected officials accountable,” said Karina Burck, political engagement intern and organizer with Columbus Stand Up.
Tom Sutton, a retired political science professor from Baldwin Wallace University, said participation at the local level often sets the foundation for lifelong engagement.
“The reason it’s so important for 18- to 29-year-olds to start voting is it establishes the habit of civic engagement,” Sutton said.
Sutton noted that local races are typically decided by fewer votes than statewide or national contests, making youth participation particularly consequential.
“It can be a difference of 25 or 50 votes in some of these races where you just get that little bump up in turnout from younger voters and it’ll make the difference in who gets elected,” he said.
For Levine, becoming involved in local politics has also shaped how he views the city he calls home.
“Columbus is not just like a word on my address. It is almost like a living being that I interact with and that I have a relationship with and that I’ve, I guess Columbus is a place that I’m getting to know,” he said.
Organizers said the debate was designed not only to prepare young people for the upcoming election but also to encourage long-term civic engagement. To draw in younger attendees, the event included a raffle for those under 25, offering a Nintendo Switch 2 as the prize.
Saima Khan
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