Too young to run? Young political candidates and the 2020 Victorian local government elections

ABSTRACT This article analyses the demographics, party affiliation, political motivations, and personal experiences of young people in Australia who run for elected office. By analysing a survey conducted with 51 young political candidates who ran in the 2020 Victorian local government elections, we show that that the most under-represented groups include young women, young people with Indigenous heritage or from minority ethnic backgrounds, and young people who do not have tertiary education and/or who live outside the metropolitan region. Our study also demonstrates that while a majority of young candidates were political party members, only relatively few ran as a candidate of their party. Finally, we highlight the link between age (youth orientation) and effectiveness (political efficacy) among our respondents.