Ohio college student challenges norms with local trustee campaign

By Farah Siddiqi

By Lilly Alhassan / Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State NewsLab-Ohio News Connection Collaboration.

Across Ohio, township governments decide how communities handle roads, safety, and growth. But there may be a gap between decision-makers and the younger residents whose futures their policies shape.

In Rootstown, 21-year-old Kent State student Caleb Cutright has stepped into that gap. By running for township trustee, he offers a case study in how young candidates are testing boundaries in contests that usually draw older candidates and voters.

Cutright traced his motivation to both personal encouragement and his first experience as a voter. He recalled his Rootstown High School principal telling the class of 2023 they had “the highest potential he had ever seen.” That message, he said, stuck.

He’s running “to live up to that potential, to try and do something to that caliber, and to give back to my community as I’ve lived here all my life,” Cutright said.

That sense of responsibility sharpened in 2022, when he voted for the first time and discovered a township contest without an opponent.

“I wanted to be able to run, even if I win, even if I lose, just to throw another hat into the arena,” said Cutright, who is running without a party affiliation. “To give more competition, to give people more choices, and to hold up our democratic ideals in America.”

Young people interested in local office often hear that they’re not ready yet. Brandon Turner, senior vice president of programs at Run for Something, a national non-profit that recruits and supports young leaders to run for state and local offices, said that refrain is familiar.

“The most common feedback young candidates hear is ‘wait your turn,’” Turner said. “Older leaders encourage youth involvement but push back when they want to step up. That discourages folks from even starting.”

There isn’t much research on the average age of local candidates. But according to Future Caucus, in 2023, only 25% of state legislators nationwide were aged 45 or younger. The median age in the U.S. is 39.

New research from Tufts University’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) echoes those obstacles. While many young people express interest in running, far fewer actually follow through. Financial insecurity, lack of political networks, and unequal encouragement, especially for youth from low-income backgrounds, remain major deterrents.

“Encouragement is one of the simplest but most powerful contributions communities can make,” said Samantha Searles, communications coordinator at CIRCLE, via email. “Our research shows that interest in running for office is related to civic engagement opportunities and to having received encouragement to run—but that encouragement is highly unequal between youth of different races, genders, and political parties.”

Another challenge: resources. Fundraising, name recognition, and campaign networks tend to favor those already established. Because producing and sustaining a viable campaign requires time, money, and social capital, many prospective candidates struggle to balance campaigning with employment or education. Some estimates suggest candidates spend up to 540 days campaigning.

Searles noted that “a majority of youth told us they would be extremely concerned about losing income or work while campaigning. Beyond money, having a civic or political home—connections to peers, mentors, or organizations—has proven to be a strong factor in whether young people explore a run.”

Turner added that Run for Something works to lower those hurdles through mentorship, regional strategy directors, webinars, and low-cost campaign tools. “In local races, you don’t always need a huge amount of money to be competitive,” he said. “We try to coach young candidates through that.”

Balancing a campaign with the realities of college life hasn’t been easy for Cutright. He splits time between coursework, shifts helping his father’s construction business and campaign outreach, all while trying to keep up with everyday routines like the gym and homework.

“Everything I’ve ever done, I’ve given 110%,” he said. “Even if I don’t know how to do something, I’ll learn and get it done. That’s the mindset I’m bringing to this race.”

With limited resources, he’s leaned on cost-effective strategies to connect with voters. “The big one is social media,” he said. “It’s free and gets exposure. But older generations, especially 60-plus, don’t use it much, and that’s a wall I’ll have to overcome.”

Township trustees approve budgets, oversee road maintenance and snow removal, set zoning policies, and coordinate fire and EMS services. Their decisions shape daily life but often draw limited attention from first-time and student voters.

Cutright said his top priority would be protecting the services residents rely on, particularly amid proposed cuts to local property tax revenue.

“If that happens, all the things we take for granted—the fire department, the road crew, zoning—will be gone,” he said. “I want to keep those resources around, and without that we can’t take as good care of our residents as possible.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, just 40.9% of Ohioans ages 18-24 voted in 2024, compared with 76.7% of residents 65 and older. Turner believes seeing young names on the ballot can help close that gap.

“When you have candidates who speak to things younger people actually care about—and speak from experience—it makes it easier to connect,” he said. “That motivates people to show up for candidates who feel like peers rather than politicians.”

Cutright sees his campaign in that light: less about his own victory and more about sparking a movement.

“Honestly, it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your beliefs are; you can do whatever you want at any time,” he said. “Running for political office is a great way to make a difference.”

Whether he wins or loses in November, Cutright hopes his example plants a seed.

“It only takes one person to take the reins,” he said. “If I win, I hope to pass that on. If I lose, I hope I’ve at least inspired someone else to run.”

This collaboration is produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.