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Image Source: Nick Roberts
Indianapolis Councilor Nick Roberts knows he’s on social media more than the average elected official. And that’s not the only difference — at age 23, he’s the nation’s youngest elected official representing a district in a large city (Indianapolis is the 16th largest city in the United States).
While his age may catch some people off-guard when they first meet him, he believes his Gen Z status is more of a strength than a weakness. He uses his youthful energy to focus on pragmatic governing to benefit his constituents and the rest of his hometown.
But make no mistake: He may be part of the youngest generation, but he isn’t green. When he was sworn in on January 1, Councilor Roberts was already a seasoned politician with years of involvement in the local Democratic Party on his resume. He began to develop an interest in local government in 2016.
“After that election, I decided I should do something and get involved,” he said. “I was knocking on doors more than anyone.”
He discovered that his age wasn’t a hindrance on the campaign trail. The issues he cared about —economic development, public safety, climate change, and responsive governing — resonated strongly with the people who lived in his hometown of Lawrence Township.
During his years attending Lawrence North High School, which is in his district, Councilor Roberts said he always enjoyed social studies. But, for Roberts, who’s currently working toward his bachelor’s degree at Indiana University, that didn’t necessarily spark an interest in public service.
But when a friend’s father ran for office in 2016, he “just fell in love with local politics.” He watched the campaign carefully and was compelled to get involved, inspired by what was happening on a national level politically.
“I never thought I would run for office when I was younger. It was the encouragement from elected officials that gave me a path and showed me how they did it,” he said. “This wasn’t about ego. This was about getting things done.”
He interned with the Marion County Democratic Party. Then, in 2018, he got his first job serving as campaign manager for Poonam Gill, who faced the Indiana Speaker of the House in a close race. They ended up raising more money than any other non-incumbent House Democrat in history, he said.
Next, he got involved in political action coalitions and gathered signatures to ensure President Joe Biden made the ballot. Eventually, Councilor Roberts was chosen as one of the state’s three Delegate Pages for the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
When the seat in his district came open, he raised a quarter-million dollars by knocking on even more doors. And despite competing for a seat in a large city, Roberts wasn’t daunted. “I’m the only Gen Z candidate with a super-competitive district,” he said. “That made me a tougher campaigner.”
Councilor Roberts made history not just because of his age, but also as the first Democrat to be elected in his district. Unlike other politicians, Roberts said that he could spend extra time and energy that might otherwise go toward families or exhausting careers.
He works part-time as the Director of Community Relations for the Lawrence Township Trustee’s office and also owns a data analysis company.
“I can go to events in the daytime. I can commit myself to 60 hours a week for council-related matters,” he said. “I have more capacity for the work.”
It also helps that he’s lived his entire life within his district, so he knows the issues facing his constituents well. He prefers to focus on getting results for his district. For example, there is a shopping mall that could benefit from a revitalization project. The flood plain also needs to be addressed, along with the need for a pedestrian safety bridge for a new trail that runs through his district.
“I go where things are local and where I can have an impact,” he said. “I care about the whole city, but a lot of my concern is infrastructure, economic development, and public safety.”
Image Source: Nick Roberts
Like all newly elected officials, Councilor Roberts has gained greater respect for the inner workings of local government. He knows many people his age don’t recognize that the council doesn’t have a “magic wand” to find solutions to complex problems.
“It’s easy to have ideas, but it’s a lot harder to get the money, people, and places implemented,” he said. “My responsibility is to work on the issues and also connect people to work together. When you see it firsthand, you see how slow the wheels of bureaucracy turn. We have to be practical about what we can get done.”
But what do his friends think about how he spends his spare time differently compared to the rest of Gen Z?
“They think it’s cool but also very intimidating,” he said. “I’m constantly posting information (on social media) that people can learn something from, like explaining the structure of the council or the capacity of elected officials. I try not to get into divisive topics but stay positive and educational.”
He isn’t thinking ahead to long-range political aspirations — yet. He said it’s hard to imagine what his life will be like in four years, figuring that four years ago, he never imagined he’d be an elected official now. However, he said that he “would hate to leave the community space” and will probably be volunteering, donating, and serving his community for years to come.
Indianapolis, remaining affordable enough for him to be in the process of buying a house, is the “quintessential American city,” he said.
Although, he added, he may be more than a little biased.
“It’s a tremendous place to be a young adult,” he said. “All my friends and family and dogs live here. It’s such a nice midwestern town with a nice downtown. It’s my favorite city in the world, and I couldn’t imagine growing up anywhere else.”
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