Interview With Spencer Lindquist, Young Dems Caucus Chair

by John Maelan, WashCo Dems Communications Committee Member

Let’s face it, I ain’t getting any younger. However, I don’t particularly feel bad about that, because the same can be said for an awful lot of Americans these days. The fact is, the Baby Boom generation was still the largest in our history, and they are very much alive and well. Oh, and man, do those old folks vote! Despite their strong start as the generation that was going to shake up the establishment and liberalize this nation, nowadays—as a group—they mostly vote conservative. In fact, it’s retirees who are the main demographic behind Florida’s bright red glow. And I know most of you remember well how Florida’s older voters gifted us with eight years of George Bush, Jr! So, my fellow Democrats, if we want to see any real progress in this country, the simple fact is it’s going to have to be our youth that lead the way.

Fortunately, not only do such young folks exist, but many have answered the call. The Washington County Dems is now proud to boast a Youth Caucus, led by a bright and energetic twenty-eight-year-old named Spencer Lindquist. A former Army soldier who served our country overseas, Spencer is  organizing a group of eighteen to thirty-five-year-olds who’ve come to realize that their time is now.

“Democracy depends on having everyone involved,” Spencer says. “And I don’t think a lot of people know how accessible the political process is.”

New to the WashCoDems, Spencer was actually quite surprised how quickly he could become part of the solution. He is currently the chairman of a caucus that meets regularly to support progressive candidates, promote ballot measures, and looks to contribute to demonstrations or politically motivated gatherings.

They are working with The Voters of Tomorrow to raise a grassroots movement of “Gen Zers” to, as Spencer puts it, “Shift the Overton Window of Washington County to the left.” He went on to say that, “Things are terrible now, but a lot of these things would not have happened if the youth had been more involved. I’m on the cusp of Gen Z, and Gen Z is very awake on cultural issues thanks to our familiarity with the internet. And we are motivated more than any previous generation to make a greater difference.”

A lofty goal, to be sure.  Yet, that is the nature of youth:  to dream big and do what needs to be done when it needs doing. But all big things must start small, and right now the WashCoDems Youth Caucus is just getting started. For their first project, they are meeting later this month with a staffer of the American Civil Liberties Union, to find ways to support the Oregon “Equal Rights for All” ballot measure.

Also known as Ballot Measure SJR-33, this November 2026 election measure asks voters to update Oregon’s constitution to clarify that everyone has the right to make private decisions about health care and marriage, regardless of one’s ability to become pregnant, gender identity, or sexual orientation. In fact, this will be the topic of the Youth Caucus’s next Zoom meeting scheduled for September 24th, at 6:00 PM.

And they also hope to, as their chairman puts it, “Open people’s eyes as to how easy it is to get involved when you want to make a difference. And the Youth Caucus is trying to be a conduit for those people.”

The WashCoDems Youth Caucus is also actively looking for candidates to support and campaigns to get involved in. As Spencer says, “One of the biggest grievances I see that has contributed to the sentiments of voter apathy for some in this generation is the belief that your vote doesn’t matter. If this is a belief you hold and you can’t be convinced otherwise, fine. I can’t say I haven’t felt the same at one point in my life. However, even if that really were the case, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways you can command political change in your community, especially at the local level where policy will have a more salient effect on your day-to-day life.”

“If you think your voice can’t or won’t be heard on the ballot, I invite you to join us and discover how much of a change you can really make without even touching a voter’s pamphlet.”

If you, or someone you know, wants to get involved, you can find all the links to their meeting on the WashCoDems calendar page.

And on behalf of us older folks, I can confidently say:  good luck Democratic Youth, we’ve got your back!

You can join the Sept. 24th Youth Caucus meeting at:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5036267018?pwd=ZTU0MFdpcjJhZ1piQTZuaXI0ZFN4dz09

Meeting ID: 503 626 7018

Passcode: WCD2022