Generation Z, aka those born after 1996, are quick to march in protests and share their political views. They're also more likely than previous generations to believe the government should be doing more to solve the country's problems, according to a 2020 survey from Pew Research Center. In fact, many members of Gen Z are interested in running for office, but they're not sure how to get started.
"My dream is to run for U.S. Senate," 17-year-old Trinity Sanders, student president at Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, New York, told NBC News' Savannah Sellers in a segment aired on TODAY Tuesday.
"I actually have this conversation with my parents all the time, and I'm saying, 'This is what I want to do,' and they're like, 'Go fight for your dreams and go get on them.' I'm like, 'Whoa, where do I really go from there?'"
It's young people like Sanders who, in part, inspired SnapChat to create a new feature that helps users get information about local elections, including how to run in one. During the 2020 election, the photo-sharing app helped 1.2 million people register to vote.
"We see how many barriers there are for young people able to participate in public life and civic engagement," Sofia Gross, Snapchat's head of social impact, told TODAY. "This generation has grown up being able to do whatever they want from their phones. ... If SnapChatters want to make sure that the issues they care most about are represented by leadership, then they need to run."
She added that only 6% of state legislators are under 35 years old. The goal of the new, in-app feature is to encourage young people to run in races that have largely gone uncontested.
The "run for office" tool prompts users to enter their zip code and then shows them the open positions nearby, a full description of the election and its date, any requirements and the minimum age to run.
If you're not interested in any of the positions, you can share the information with a friend instead. The app can also pair users interested in running with candidate recruitment organizations across the political spectrum, such as Run For Something, which has guides on how to get on a ballot for all 50 states.
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For high schoolers and college students eager to build their political chops, any amount of help can go a long way.
"If I'm able to actually have someone that has experience with mentoring politicians, I definitely would take anyone up on that offer," Sanders said. "Generation Z is the most involved politically and 100% ready to create change."
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