Students run for leadership positions in Democratic Party
Senior Glenn Rehn has been involved in the party for about four years.
April 15, 2008
Senior Glenn Rehn said young people getting involved in the Democratic Party strengthens the party and moves it in a forward direction.
Rehn is running unopposed for the First Ward seat of the Boone County Democratic Central Committee.
“Especially as someone in the First Ward who is younger, I would just try to make my voice heard for the party to go in a progressive direction — a direction of being active and a direction of reaching out to new people,” Rehn said. “I think the Democratic Party needs all these things to be strong.”
Rehn said he has been involved in the county party for about four years now and thinks he can make an impact on the Central Committee.
The First Ward Committeeman sits on the Boone County Democratic Central Committee and represents the Missouri Democratic Party in Boone County.
The Central Committee performs tasks required by the laws of Missouri, the charter of the U.S. Democratic Party and the bylaws of the Missouri Democratic Party, Boone County Democratic Party Chairwoman Phyllis Fugit said.
“The Boone County Democratic Central Committee promotes the values of the Democratic Party and reaches out to Democrats in the community,” Fugit said.
Rehn said he has no specific plans yet for his committee seat, but he intends to use his youth to promote the Democratic Party among the young people in the First Ward.
Nate Kennedy, Young Democrats of Missouri College Federation chairman, is also running unopposed for the Sixth Ward seat of the Central Committee.
Dean Andersen, co-director of the Boone County Coalition for Tobacco Concerns, decided to drop out of the sixth ward race.
Kennedy said he would love to work with Rehn on the committee.
“We’ll definitely be working together,” Kennedy said. “We plan on doing things for students such as the neighborhood leader program and the Election Day voter registration program.”
In the neighborhood leader program, recruited Democrats would tell their neighbors about the Democratic Party and any events the party is holding in Boone County, Kennedy said.
Kennedy also said the Election Day voter registration program would help students become involved.
“Thousands of students every election are disenfranchised because the registration day is a month away from Election Day,” Kennedy said.
Rehn also said he would speak out on the behalf of Mark Buhrmester, the new Boone County Democratic Central Committee executive director.
“Mark will be doing more than I’ll get to do to reach out to students,” Rehn said. “I would really be a voice to support Mark and, in turn, support students.”
Rehn said the committee is composed of mostly adults with the average age of 50 who have been active in the party. He said he is excited to be one of the youngest people in a long time that could potentially serve on the Central Committee.
“It’s about having the younger perspective on the committee,” Rehn said.
Kennedy said if he and Rehn were both on the committee, they would stand for students in Boone County.
“We will be representing young and new Democrats on the committee,” he said.
Although he is running unopposed, Rehn said he is unsure whether he will take the committeeman seat.
“I’m still on the ballot for now,” Rehn said. “Depending on whether or not I get a job in Columbia is whether I’ll stay on the ballot.”
Elections for First Ward Committeeman will be held during the state’s primary on August 5.
More April 15, 2008 Outlook Stories
- City council honors Crayton — When outgoing First Ward City Councilwoman Almeta Crayton was first elected to her seat in 1999, she had to walk ...
- Students run for leadership positions in Democratic Party — Senior Glenn Rehn has been involved in the party for about four years.
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