A few years ago, Zach Coltrain tagged along with his grandmother, a teacher, to an event for educators hosted by the Virginia Beach school system.
A state delegate was in attendance, Coltrain said, and they started talking about politics.
“Halfway through our conversation he said ‘wait, are you still in high school? Can you even vote?'” Coltrain said. “I said no and he got up and left our table.”
Coltrain, now 19, believed he was brushed off because of his age. It was irritating — but it inspired him to get involved with politics.
Coltrain is now among the youngest candidates — and maybe the youngest — to throw his hat in the ring to represent the 98th District in the House of Delegates. The Democrat will first face off against Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler in a primary next year before potentially taking on a Republican candidate.
The 2020 graduate of First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach hopes voters won’t view his age as a liability.
“In terms of political experience and being passionate and being here for my district, age has nothing to do with that,” said Coltrain, a music therapy major at Appalachian State University.
Since his disappointing encounter with the delegate, Coltrain said he’s volunteered with several campaigns, including U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria’s bid for Congress.
“I didn’t have a car at that point so I did everything that I could with the limited resources I had,” he said, explaining he made phone calls and canvassed neighborhoods on foot. “Once I got a car at 17, I started driving people to the polls on Election Day.”
If elected, Coltrain — who lives in Pungo, a rural Virginia Beach community, when he’s not at college — said he would work to support local farmers. Helping students from lower-income homes would also be among his top priorities.
Coltrain, who participated in a Virginian-Pilot journalism workshop for students in 2018, believes his age would be an advantage when it comes to discussing current social justice movements, like Black Lives Matter, or needed reforms.
“I think it makes older generations uncomfortable to discuss sometimes,” he said.
Zach Lincoln, co-chair of Virginia Teen Democrats, said he was pleased to learn a Gen Z candidate will be on the ballot. He hopes more members of their generation will be stepping up soon in Virginia.
“Politics affects everyone’s lives,” he said. “I think now is a good time for young people to get involved and be informed and seek change.”
Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com
