If you’ve watched the nightly programming at the Democratic National Convention, you’ve seen some of Wisconsin’s youngest delegates enjoying their brief moment in the spotlight, reacting to the speeches.

“It’s been awesome, and all of Wisconsin delegates have been pumped up,” said Ana Wilson, who is entering her sophomore year of college. She is making the most of her introduction to national politics as a Wisconsin delegate.

“This is a big honor, an opportunity for me. So I thought that was very exciting and I’m excited to obviously represent Wisconsin,” she said.

Wilson spent her freshman year with the College Democrats, learning how to organize voters.

“A lot of college students that I’ve talked to have been like, ‘Oh, my vote doesn’t matter.’ And I’m like, ‘It does — it really does,'” she said.

“We were outside canvassing. We were doing our calling, knocking on plenty of doors,” said Landiran Kern, Jr., who just graduated high school, but started doing field work in 2023 in Fond du Lac.

Kern, Jr. wants to use his seat at the table to make sure Democrats don’t take the youth vote for granted.

“I feel that so often when it comes to the youth voice and seeing someone young, we’re not taken as seriously as we probably should be,” he said.

Landiran Kern, Jr., a Wisconsin delegate at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, discusses how young Democrats people are organizing within the party. “I feel that so often when it comes to the youth voice and seeing someone young, we’re not taken as seriously as we probably should be,” Kern, Jr. said. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

Roman Fritz would agree with Kern, Jr. on that.

“I want to see more young people in the Democratic Party. It’s pretty much everyone here is, you know, 30 plus,” Fritz said.

They’ve all felt the surge in enthusiasm that came with Vice President Kamala Harris replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket.

‘I have so much respect for Joe Biden, and I think it was a very selfless act that he did. And, I thought it was, you know, a good decision,” said Wilson.

“I believe that when it comes to youth voters and turnout, I believe it has risen heavily,” Kern said. “Ultimately, I think people still came out and voted with President Biden, but people are excited about the Harris-Walz ticket.”

Fritz thinks Harris is better than Biden, but still refused to vote for her nomination.

“Once Kamala Harris is the nominee, when she is the nominee — now, I’m planning on supporting her in the fall,” said Fritz. “But at the same time, I’m not going to be remarkably enthusiastic about it.”

Roman Fritz, a Wisconsin delegate at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, discusses the importance of the youth vote. “I want to see more young people in the Democratic Party. It’s pretty much everyone here is, you know, 30 plus,” Fritz said. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

Fritz is a college student and one of the few Wisconsin delegates to attend the protests and call for a military embargo of Israel.

“In the DNC, it’s celebratory. But outside with the protest, you know, they’re concerned about Kamala Harris’ policy in Gaza,” he said.

Fritz thinks more young Democrats are concerned about the plight of Palestinians, but are afraid to speak up.

He’s received national attention for his views.

Kern said most young people he knows care more about issues like the potential TikTok ban.

“You have to meet them exactly where they are, and it doesn’t matter the policy, they’re not going to care about, you know, what country we’re going to war with, or who we’re helping, or who we’re allied with. And I hate to say that, but it’s true,” he said.

Wilson said questions about Israel and Palestine are difficult.

“Honestly, I tend to stay away from that, just because I’m not as educated as other people are,” she said.

Ana Wilson, a Wisconsin delegate at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, discusses the perception among young voters. “A lot of college students that I’ve talked to have been like, ‘Oh, my vote doesn’t matter.’ And I’m like, ‘It does — it really does,’” Wilson said. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

No matter the policy differences in Chicago, in a few weeks they’ll each be in college and drawing on this experience as they campaign in the fall and encourage young voters to support Democrats in November.

“I would definitely be drawing back and remembering this — the opportunity to each morning sit down and talk with members of my own party and people of my own delegation,” said Kern, Jr.

“I think that young people — and young progressive people especially — should get involved in politics, because when they get involved in the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party will become full of young progressive people,” Fritz said.

“Yeah, I was obviously motivated before to obviously, get out there and canvass and things like that,” said Wilson. “But I think after this, I will be even more pumped and I’m ready to get things done, because we’re obviously not going back. So, I’m ready.”