If you are a young person in New Hampshire like me, there is a seemingly endless list of concerns that make us question our future. Every day, we see the devastating effects of climate change with more and more ‘once-in-a-generation’ storms and record-breaking wildfires that are becoming commonplace. The crippling student debt crisis continues to weigh down generations, making it difficult to get ahead and stay ahead, and to make it even worse leaders in Concord keep raising out-of-state tuition, and that’s not to mention the challenge of finding a job and an affordable place to live after graduation.  None of these issues will matter unless we focus on fixing the state of our democracy.  

New Hampshire State Rep. candidate Heath Howard is running for office and attending University of New Hampshire (UNH) classes simultaneously this semester. With competitors Jeff Allard, Kurt Wuelper and Michael Harrington over 40 years older than him, Howard is the youngest candidate at 20 years old.

On Aug. 26 Congressman Chris Pappas discussed voting rights in a round table with young NH Democrats. Pappas was joined by State Rep. Cam Kenney, State Rep. Cassie Levesque, Candidate for State Representative Heath Howard, and Oyster River High School Student Body President Ella Gianino.