Young voters in Colorado are worried about their ability to afford rent across the state, but they haven’t heard enough candidates talk about helping them do so. 

Colorado has a primary election on June 25. In the November general election, Coloradans will vote on every U.S. and state representative, some state senators, and a variety of ballot initiatives, on top of the presidential election. As many young people are preparing to vote in some of their first elections, they want to vote for candidates who will prioritize their needs, which they discussed in responses to a survey and interviews conducted by Newsline. 

Aiden Niemi, a 21-year-old Gunnison resident, said that, particularly for young people in rural parts of Colorado, housing is top of mind — not just affordability, but housing stock, too. With tourism ramping up in his area this summer, it’s frustrating to see vacation rentals sit empty for nine months of the year when he has friends living in their cars, he said.