A new wave of candidates is making a splash in the 2018 midterm elections.
Santa Clara County candidates Basil Saleh, 22, and Diego Martinez, 29, are both running for positions for their respective school district.
They represent a thread common among upcoming young candidates like Senate and House candidates like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ammar Campa-Najjar who are also both 29 years old – that civic engagement among young voters is essential and younger representation in local, state and national politics, that has historically not been there, is required.
The race is significant and personal for both candidates.
Martinez, a soon-to-be political science graduate from San Jose State University hopes to represent the Oak Grove Elementary School Board. The young father of a 9-year-old boy said he understands the needs of elementary school boards to sufficiently represent student and parent concerns.
Saleh is one of the youngest candidates in the state and is running to be on the school board of the district he and his brother both attended – Campbell Union High School District.
“The fact that my brother was a student during my entire time at USF, meant that I was able to follow what was happening there in real time. His experience was similar to mine in that the same underlying problems still exist,” said Saleh.
Saleh said it was his high school friend who was sentenced for eight years that forced him to re-examine the educational system and propelled him into civil service.
“He had good character but he couldn’t catch a break in his personal life. He wasn’t getting the support and services in high school that would’ve helped then,” Saleh said. “I think what [students] really need is guidance and some sort of stability.”
However, Saleh believes adequate student services can only be provided with better communication between the school board, students and parents.
“As a public official, along with your opinions and practical skills, you are also a representative. You have to be a census gatherer to be effective,” Saleh said.
“Stuff like changes in grading policy, the fact that we invested $3 million for fencing around all of our schools, or that teachers have gone a month without a contract, are all the more frustrating because you have no idea where these deliberations are coming from.”
The young candidate, who is endorsed by the Santa Clara Democratic Party, Campbell Mayor Paul Resnikoff, Campbell High School Teacher Association and many others, said that in a diverse district like his, more culturally-specific communication is essential to bring more people to the table.
The issues of communication and culture raised by Saleh are similar to those shared by Martinez, who believes his language skills and Hispanic heritage allow him to better communicate with his community.
“Where I am running, all the schools are at least 80 percent Hispanic and large Asian and minority communities,” Martinez said. “As a child of immigrants, I understand the struggle of many of the students I want to represent. My parents never got involved because they did not know how to. This was in part because of the language and cultural barriers.”
Martinez is endorsed by many including the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, current Oak Grove School Board Trustee Jacquelyn Adams, and Santa Clara County Supervisors Cindy Chavez, Dave Cortese and Ken Yeager.
“Studying politics at SJSU helped me understand the ways our laws work and the importance of people voting,” Martinez said.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo agreed that younger representation is important in the polls and on the ballot. However, without young voter turnout, he said it is difficult for younger candidates to get elected.
“Young people won’t be successful in local politics and running for office until young people vote,” Liccardo said. “Its critical for college students to understand that if they are not voting, someone else is going to make decisions for them.”
In the 2016 presidential election, the Pew Research Center reported voter turnout for people ages 18-29 was the lowest for any group at 49 percent.
Turnout for people in a similar age bracket of 18 to 34 during the 2014 Midterm election was also at an all-time low of 19.9 percent, according to CIRCLE.
But that is not to say that there is no hope for younger candidates.
The 2018 midterm election has more young candidates running for Governor than any other election, according to data collected by Governing Magazine.
Locally, Saleh and Martinez have encouraged college students to join their team and are using their unique insight as young candidates to encourage a younger voter turnout on Nov. 6.
