Mike LeaderCharge grew up on the Colville Indian Reservation and got interested in politics at a young age. At 18, he voted in his first election – for tribal leaders – and now, at 35, he encourages young people to talk to political candidates, even if they are too young to vote.

LeaderCharge is youth coordinator for the city’s Spokane Regional Youth Department. He hopes City Hall’s council chambers will be filled Oct. 23 with young people armed with some tough questions. The Chase Youth Commission will once again sponsor a candidates forum, and those running for mayor and City Council might be surprised at some of the questions. In previous Chase Youth Commission forums, young people have asked about after-school programs, crime, gangs and even school nurses. Why aren’t there more of them? One teen told the candidates about living in a poor neighborhood, then asked: What are you doing for us?

At the end of the forum, the young people will vote in a mock election. LeaderCharge and other organizers hope the event will spark future civic involvement by these potential voters. Citizen participation, especially voting, is a habit that needs to be learned early. Unfortunately, civic cynicism can be learned early as well.

According to a 2007 report from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, “young people have lost confidence in government. Two-thirds of them believe government should do more to solve problems, but a plurality, no matter which political party they identify with, are also more likely than they were in 2002 to say that government is almost always wasteful and inefficient.”

The report also noted that after the voting age in the United States was lowered to 18 in 1970, young voters eagerly embraced their new right. In the 1972 elections, 55 percent of those under 30 cast ballots. But young voter turnout decreased in subsequent years. The 2004 election, however, raised hopes that the apathy might be dissipating, because 4.6 million more young people voted than in 2000.

Election season coincides with the busy season in young people’s lives. Sports, school, social events and Halloween vie for time and attention. A forum featuring candidates the same ages as these teens’ parents and grandparents will be a difficult sell.

Help out and invite a young person to go with you to the candidate forum. You’ll be introducing them to a good habit that will last a lifetime.