Maine Youth Action launched the Maine Youth Political Portal on Oct. 11.

The MYPP is an online resource and inspiration made by and for young Mainers interested in civic engagement, especially those looking to run for publicly elected political office. It consists of a library of informational and training resources, a list of contacts for endorsements and networking with politically savvy mentors, and an intuitive candidate builder page that will enable users to walk through the process of planning their campaigns.

Maine has the oldest population of any state in the country, which is reflected in its decision-making bodies’ demographics. Yet a 2021 poll determined that 44.3% of the population is under 35. Youth are an important bloc of voters, workers, taxpayers, and visionaries. Politicians often craft legislation and policy with the next election cycle in mind. This is known as democratic myopia and can be combated by electing young politicians who consider the long-term. This leads to better decision-making, climate-focused policy, and nuanced solutions to complex problems.

The launch of the Maine Youth Political Portal was intentionally timed with the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November. Comprehensive and experiential civics education improves voter turnout. Providing young people with the tools to run for office makes them more likely to understand the importance of elections, research and evaluate the candidates on their ballot, and volunteer at election booths.

This project also won the national Call For Kindness competition sponsored by Riley’s Way Foundation. Additional funding was awarded by the Youth Grant-Making Council of the Maine Youth Action Network. The project was also highlighted in a recent episode of the top-rated podcast Simple Acts, Big Impact.

The portal can be found at maineyouthpoliticalportal.org

For more information about the portal, contact Anna Siegel at annasiegel6@gmail or 207-712-4777, or Boston Cochrane at btcochrane9@gmail.com or 207-590-8259.

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