Americans as a whole are relatively politically apathetic, with voter turnout plummeting since the 1950s.

Young people in general participate less in the process of democracy than other age groups, but two local teens are bucking the trend.

Ty Brown, 15, is one of those young adults who is volunteering with 45th Legislative District state Senate candidate Manka Dhingra’s campaign.

Brown has known Dhingra since he was in fifth grade.

“I really believe both in her ability to be an effective senator and also that she’s willing to work with us on her campaign,” Brown said.

Brown, along with around two dozen other teen volunteers, has been helping coordinate the campaign.

They’ve done research, briefings and also activities like bundling brochures for older volunteers to hand out on the weekends.

Brown said it’s been empowering to be a part of the political process.

“It’s really great to be involved in something this important, where we really have an opportunity to make a difference,” he said.

Having younger volunteers, especially ones in high school, helps inform Dhingra about their experiences.

Brown said this is especially important with the McCleary decision dealing with fully funding basic education returning to the state Legislature’s plate in the upcoming session.

“We kind of bring another perspective to it, and when you look at some of the issues that keep coming up, the McCleary decision being the major one, I find that it’s really important to have young people around,” he said.

Political participation through voting has been declining.

According to the Washington Secretary of State’s website, 73 percent of voting-age people cast a ballot in the 1952 presidential election.

That number had dropped to 61 percent in 2016, only slightly up from the low point of 56 percent in 1996.

Mid-term elections fared worse across the board, with only 40 percent of voting-age people casting a vote in 2014.

Brown said he thinks it’s important for teens to get involved with the political process.

For students who attend public schools, they are directly affected by state education funding, and students who don’t are still subject to other laws.

“It’s as interesting as you make it,” he said. “If you’re willing to be involved and think things over, and willing to do the work.”

Chris Grazco, 15, is also getting involved in politics and working with 45th district state Senate candidate Jinyoung Lee Englund’s campaign.

Grazco said his father has always been passionate about politics, and that enthusiasm rubbed off on him.

“He sort of got me interested in it during the election,” Grazco said.

Grazco has been making campaign calls to residents in the district but also hitting the streets and doorbelling, talking with voters about Englund.

He said it has been a good experience working with people who have an interest in civil engagement.

“It’s cool cause I hear a lot about political advocacy,” he said.

Like Brown, Grazco said many of his peers may not be interested in politics, but that the issues the state Legislature is dealing with now will affect his generation in the future.

Grazco said he’s planning on doing more political work in the future.

Election Day is Nov. 7.

For more information on the candidates, check out redmond-reporter.com.