My name is Zachary Coltrain, and I have just become the youngest person to ever file to run for the Virginia House of Delegates.
Let’s back up a little, the year is 2018 and my congressional representative (R) is attending the same event I am. I begin telling him a little bit about my life and my perspective as a high school student in his district. Initially a dialogue starts, but midway through our conversation I am met abruptly with “wait… you’re in high school? Are you old enough to vote?” At which point I informed him that I was 15 and he *got up and left my table.* This was my political “Joker Origin Story. ”
At 16 I was signed up to volunteer on both a city council race and a congressional race. Phone banking and door knocking my way through my community with any friends who were willing to tag along. Elaine Luria’s (VA-02) campaign was my way to express my frustration from meeting with my prior representative. When she and the city councilman I worked for both won their elections, I felt as though I found my new power within the world of public office.
This passion flourished throughout high school and my freshman year of college, continuing my voter outreach for several democratic candidates while staying in an out-of-state college dorm room 6 hours away.
Flash forward to today, I have officially become the youngest person to file to run for the Virginia House of Delegates. I am set up to run against a millionaire incumbent republican who can essentially run his entire campaign without an ounce of support from his district (which is why he is his own most essential donor.) I am a college student with student loan debt who is absolutely positive he can reflect the will of his constituents better than what is happening in the status quo.
I hope anyone reading this is ready to join me on this mission to represent my district and my generation in this statewide political space. If you are willing, I will leave my Actblue link below. I will be sure to keep everyone updated when my website is complete, and you can learn more about me!
secure.actblue.com/...