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Podcast 2026 4 13
Podcast 2026 4 13
Introducing Young Democrats to Chemung County
Anthony Cantando talked with President of the NYS Young Democrats, Jovan Richards, to discuss the NYSYD, what they do, notable alumnus, and how to charter a chapter. We're in the process of forming a Chemung County chapter of the Young Democrats chartered with the State Committee. Any young registered voter, or registered soon-to-be voter between the ages of 16 and 36 interested in joining the Chemung County Young Democrats (CCYD) can sign up below. We promise organizers will be in touch with you shortly.
Who are the Young Democrats?
The New York State Young Democrats are the official youth arm of the New York State Democratic Committee. The New York State Young Democrats represent young democrats between the ages of 16-36 living in all of New York’s 62 counties. Members of the organization strive to make a positive difference in the community by working within the political process and upholding the principles of the Democratic Party. The membership base reflects the broad diversity of New York and the party, including high school students, college students, young workers, professionals and families.
What do Young Democrats do?
Elect Democratic Candidates
Encourage youth involvement in the Democratic Party
Support the ideals of the Democratic Party at all levels of government
Instill young people with the values for which the Democratic Party stands
Provide young people with the skills and experiences they will need to lead our nation
Young Democrats receive first-hand experience in campaigns and elections, grassroots organizing, fundraising and candidate elective office, just to name a few. Many of the Democratic Party’s leaders got their start in politics with the Young Democrats.
sign up to
sign up to
Get Involved in
The Young Democrats
Get Involved in
The Young Democrats
The James Hare Young Democrat Scholarship
Jim loved our community, and was one of the most engaged elected officials Elmira knew. Even after serving in office, he spent years as the Democratic Commissioner of the Chemung County Board of Elections, ensuring Democrats got elected in important offices. He was a dedicated member of the CCDC often providing Candidate training classes, so hopeful candidates would know how to run successful campaigns.
In honor of his service, the CCDC has established the annual James Hare Young Democrat Scholarship. This scholarship aids young politically minded voters in attending the Democratic Rural Committee annual, or the Democratic State Committee annual meetings. A total of $500 is awarded to 2 male, or 2 female applicants (in alternating years) to assist with meeting registration and shared hotel room expenses. This allows young voters early exposure to state politicians, and gives them the chance to be involved in big picture politics. They are the future politicians of tomorrow, and attending these annual meetings gives them a running head start. The first two recipients awarded in 2026 are Halie Saunders & Meg Magnusen, who will attend the DRC meeting in April. Congratulations! We're sure Jim would be as proud of you as we are!
Gov. Hochul has declared April as Higher Education Month!
Throughout April the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) will host over two dozen events to help students and families understand the financial aid available to them and navigate the FAFSA and TAP application processes. These events will provide one-on-one support, expert guidance and resources to maximize financial aid opportunities. CUNY launched a Financial Literacy Video Series for Students and the student financial services resource centers across CUNY campuses are open to provide one-on-one in-person or virtual assistance.
As part of its continued efforts to improve access to financial aid information and support, HESC launched new tools and enhanced services designed to support students, counselors, financial aid professionals and partners. These include:
Financial Aid Navigator: A step-by-step tool that guides students through a series of questions about their academic plans, residency, and household information to generate a personalized list of New York State financial aid programs they may be eligible for, including grants, scholarships and tuition assistance opportunities.
FAFSA Completion Dashboard: An interactive dashboard that provides a monthly snapshot of FAFSA completion rates among New York’s high school seniors and serves as a key tool for tracking progress statewide. Users can compare New York’s cumulative completion rate to the national average and explore data at the high school, school district, regional and legislative district levels to support targeted outreach and student success efforts.
Modernized Call Center: HESC enhanced its call center operations, ensuring students and families have the opportunity to connect directly with representatives, eliminating the need for appointments, and making it easier to get timely answers to financial aid questions. Students wishing to speak with HESC can call 1-888-NYSHESC (1-888-697-4372).
Fulfilling the need to provide educated future politicians!
Democracy Summer 2027
The Democracy Summer project trains and deploys the next generation of Democratic organizers and leaders to win elections all over America. Founded by Congressman Jamie Raskin, backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and buoyed by thousands of supportive alumni across the country, Democracy Summer engages high school and college-aged young people in state-of-the-art tactics in voter registration, canvassing and digital political organizing. Moreover, through on-line seminars with leading historians, law professors, political organizers and union and elected leaders, it provides an intensive education in the historical struggle for democratic freedom and essential lessons for effective political leadership today. Find out more about this fantastic opportunity, scholarships and applications here. Application deadline for this year is April 15, 2026.
If you're too late to apply for 2026, set your goals on applying for 2027.
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