Lexi Farber is chair of Next Century Forum. Laura Snider is vice chair of Next Century Forum and was the 2024 Democratic nominee in Iowa House district 28.

In 2024, young Iowans showed us both the promise and the peril of democracy. On one hand, students, recent graduates, and young families voiced frustrations about housing costs, student debt, and the future of our state. On the other, too many stayed home on election day. Their absence wasn’t apathy—it was disconnection.

Nationally, voters under 30 have shifted about 10 points toward Republicans since 2020. That swing didn’t happen by chance. Conservative groups poured resources into organizing young people. Turning Point USA, for example, now has chapters at nearly every major college in the country—and is pouring millions into launching Turning Point chapters in high schools. Their influence is expanding fast, and it’s reshaping the civic landscape our generation inherits.

If they can do it, so can we—and more.