First Time Voter: Linden James
This is the second in a series of voter profiles of Kids Voting youth leaders who are casting their first adult vote in the 2023 Mayor & City Council Elections. Check often at kidsvotingdurham.org/blog-1 for more new voter profiles throughout this election season!
Linden James, volunteering with KVD at age 12
When & where are you voting? Absentee Vote from Menton, France!
What’s one thing you are excited about for your first vote? In the months leading up to my first vote, I had the privilege of talking with youth from other countries about their experiences with voting, and have been taking a Constitutional Law class! It’s made me all the more excited to exercise my civic power in a new and important way.
How has your experience with Kids Voting Durham prepared you for your first vote? Kids Voting Durham, beyond creating an incredible Election Guide that I used while making my decisions, has taught me about political systems so I understand what people in office will do, helped me engage with local candidates, and has given me the confidence to feel good about my vote!
What issues are most important to you this election? LGBTQ+ rights, affordable housing, & environmental sustainability
What characteristics do you most value in a candidate? Making purposeful decisions to connect with local youth, demonstrated commitment to community care initiative, & lived experience as a Durhamite
Anything else you’d like to tell us? While it felt sad for me to cast my first adult vote so far away from my city, I know that I am where I am, studying what I am (political science!) and loving what I do because of Kids Voting Durham. ❤️💛💙
KVD Program Coordinator Carolyn Kreuger adds: “Linden has been working toward their first vote since they were in middle school and sought out KVD on their own because they knew even then how important voting was and wanted to play a part. As a Kids Voting youth leader, Linden was so effective at helping other people find a voice in their vote by always making others feel important and valuable and by making sure others had fun being civically engaged. I certainly hope Linden knows how much I value having their vote and voice as part of our Durham electorate, and I have no doubt they had fun doing it!”
