Two recent LA High graduates step into the political arena

By Tim Seyfert, Town Crier Staff Writer

They might not be old enough to buy liquor or sit at a roulette table, but two local teens last week entered the race for Los Altos City Council, hoping to inspire other young adults to become more politically active.

Recent Los Altos High School graduates, Christopher Nicholson and Jeffrey Martin, both 18, each collected the 20 signatures needed to officially file paperwork for the November election, when three council seats will be up for grabs.

The spots will be vacated by incumbents Mayor Kris Casto, Mayor Pro tem Lou Becker and Councilman Francis La Poll. Casto and Becker have said they won’t run again, but La Poll has yet to give his decision.

Of the two aspiring politicos, only Nicholson had submitted his paperwork as of last week, but the teens have already become the youngest to take out papers for Los Altos City Council candidacy, City Clerk Carol Scharz said.

The spark to run for council began with Nicholson, who two months ago, decided that young adults weren’t exercising their rights and were losing out on being a part of the community’s political process.

“In a time when so many voters, especially those 18 to 24, are not learning about the issues and not voting in elections, I believe it is crucial that as many young citizens as possible get involved and demonstrate their ability to make a difference,” Nicholson said. “This is why I’m running for city council, and why I’m encouraging other youths to run as well.”

So far, Nicholson has convinced Martin and two of his other teen friends to try for a council seat as well.

“Young people’s issues aren’t being considered,” Martin said. “I became interested to change that, to bring new life to the community.”

“Getting elected isn’t the main motivation,” Nicholson added. “We don’t have any delusions about getting elected. It’s not about winning, it’s about encouraging young people not to throw away their rights as adult citizens.”

Both said they plan to campaign in mid-October while on break from college. Though Nicholson plans to attend school in Oregon and Martin in Santa Barbara, both said they would gladly modify their education plans if elected.

The young candidates’ issues - in addition to getting young voters more politically involved - include working for more funding for public schools and preserving the town’s character by limiting commercialization to support local businesses.

“I was born in Los Altos and I’m hoping to live in this community my whole life,” Nicholson said. “As the next generation of Los Altos homeowners, the youth of this city deserve to have their needs addressed.”