The NMSU College Democrats hosted The New Generation Democratic Leaders for a town hall on Oct. 29, giving New Mexico State University students and faculty members an opportunity to ask the next generation of democratic leaders their burning questions about youth involvement in government in New Mexico.
As Alison Neal-Wallace, co-chair of the Las Cruces Community Action Network, sparked the panel’s conversation with the first Q&A session question in the conference. She voiced the importance of local-level voting – especially among younger audiences.
“The most important thing is to use your voice. Yes, voting is a part of that voice. But if you are seeing candidates that are not listening to your beliefs, to your values, then you need to speak up,” Neal-Wallace said.
Beau Sandoval, the 1st Congressional District Vice Chair for the Democratic Party of New Mexico, spoke about rebuilding the Democratic Party’s trust and connection with young male voters across America. In this recent presidential election, 56% of young male voters leaned red, while 42% leaned blue.
“I think it’s hard to expect young people to turn out to vote when you look at the reality of the situation they’re living in. So, to me, I think there’s a lot of ways that we can counter that, but it’s through a salient message that actually will make a tangible difference in young people’s lives,” Sandoval said.
Political youth involvement has never been as prominent in society as it is today. Full ranges of representation are essential to a democracy that aims to include all groups of people, so calls to action towards younger voters involved in politics have become increasingly urgent.
“Just do it. [If] you’re thinking about getting involved, [if] you want to have a Democratic Party that hasn’t been like the Democratic Party in years past, you want to make sure that you have a future that’s possible, that’s worth fighting for, and worth participating in your democracy for. Get involved,” Sandoval said.
Jay Choate, speaking from the perspective of a non-New Mexican native and as someone fairly new to the political scene, responded to a concern regarding the Democratic Party’s tactics and functions as a whole.
Elaborating on the party’s stance on problems such as more local issues like Project Jupiter, Choate mentions the dismay felt in many Americans over the last eight years regarding how the governmental system is working, and proposing the question of what the Democratic Party is truly offering to younger voters.
“So I feel there is some kind of disconnect between politicking and campaigning and actual promises and implementing changes. And I think that’s probably a common trend across America, but I think it is a distinct issue New Mexico deals with as well,” Choate said.
As the speakers continued to receive questions from attendees, they covered additional topics such as democratic presidential concerns, suggesting that many white men and women did not vote for Kamala Harris due to a lack of a positive economic future and prosperity for working-class Americans, not corporations. Furthermore, the impact of social safety nets on oil and gas companies and the stress on public officials serving the people instead of these corporations, which have the possibility of leaving New Mexico.
As the conversation came to a close, one message resonated throughout the room: meaningful change begins when young people step forward, participate in the shaping of their country, and that engagement in local communities’ elections has a bigger impact than many think.
“That’s what we need for our state. We need leaders. We need people that show up,” Coby Gentry, another featured speaker in the panel, said.
![Group leaders [left to right] Jacarthie Brazil, Kira Baum, Carter-Elise Keating, and Abby Watkins pose for a picture after a successful interview. April 21, 2026.](https://nmsuroundup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/01_AnnaB_Health-Club_LowRes.jpg)
