Disappointment Won't Keep Benjamin Kremer Down — He's Too Busy Helping Young People Vote

By Lauren Rearick


Benjamin Kremer isn’t afraid to demand more of his elected officials.


As an organizer with the New Hampshire Youth Movement (NHYM), Kremer made headlines in December 2017 any time while he confronted New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and asked him not to sign HB 1264 — legislation that makes voting in New Hampshire considerably more restrictive. Under the bill, an out-of-state resident could be required to secure a New Hampshire driver’s license categorize in attempt to vote and be imagined a resident, New Hampshire Public Radio reported. (Previously, new or short-term residents were able to use other means of identification to vote.) The ACLU raised issue with the offered law, as students attending college in New Hampshire could be required to pay any fees regarding a driver’s license group in attempt to vote.


At the time of Kremer’s confrontation, Governor Sununu pledged he wouldn’t support the law, nevertheless later went back on that promise and signed the bill in 2017; New Hampshire Union Leader reported that state Democrats have since continued their efforts to repeal HB 1264.


Kremer, who joined the NHYM in 2014 and is a recipient of the 2019 MTV Leaders for Change grant, is among the activists supporting the repeal effort. The company is comprised of numerous groups of young people fighting to increase the recognition of their elected officials and engages with thousands of potential young voters. They also have eyes on a upcoming 2020 presidential candidate forum. And according to Kremer, the fight leading up to 2020 starts with mobilizing more young voters overall.


“Every single young person needs to vote in this upcoming election because it’s the most crucial election of our lifetime,” he told MTV News. “Young folks are the hugest voting block in this nation, and we know that the grand challenges of our generation — climate change, healthcare, student cash advance debt — are on this ballot.”


Youth voting rates increased in past elections, and Kremer and his fellow NHYM organizers wholeheartedly believe that political change can and does begin with the state’s youngest voters. “When we organize, work collectively, and leverage our power in a uniform way, we can bring about change,” he said.


In a recent phone interview, Kremer shared with MTV News what it looked like to experience disappointment at the hands of an elected official, how the New Hampshire Youth Movement intends to do everything in its power to get young people to vote, and how their work is particularly key ahead of the 2020 presidential election.


MTV News: What does NHYM do and how is the work important?


Kremer: The movement was began by seven kids that were either in college or have already graduated from college. We were just a crowd of companions already organizing in the same circles, and felt we required to do something different. We got with each other and realized we may would be more effectively organizing young people in New Hampshire. We knew it needed to happen.


I think stories like ours are really powerful, and if someone wants to do something like this in their state and effect real political change by organizing people, you could do it. It’s really easy and just takes getting your companions with each other to do something. There really are so several places and resources out there that will assist you.


MTV News: What inspired you to challenge Governor Sununu? How did you feel any time once he went back on what he told you?


Kremer: The whole thing was motivated by the fact that it should be easier for the people of New Hampshire to vote, not harder. We aspire to bring people into our community and permit them to participate in the election process through voting.


The governor went back on his word to each person. As soon as we discussed about that bill, I felt it was a sincere, proper conversation where I expressed some legitimate concerns. It was like he heard me, and that he was on our side, and that’s what he mentioned. Lo and behold, some time later, he went back on that. That didn’t feel wonderful, especially once we spend a lot of our time talking to politicians and telling them our concerns. Rarely, does it feel as if they’re truly hearing you and they’re on your side.


His decision is really emblematic of that fact that he doesn’t support young people, and that he could be more prepared to not rock the boat with his party, or that he caved to some categorize kind of outdoor influence, whichever the case may be.


MTV News: Based on what happened with the Governor, what’s NHYM’s understanding of how voting might right now be impacted?


Kremer: Things are still very much in flux. There’s a lot still to be decided, and it’s not nevertheless known how this [HB 1264] will effect voters on election day. Things continue to happen, plus it remains to be seen whether the process will change again. It’s frustrating to just wait and visualize, however whichever happens, we have a couple of contingencies still in place to get young people out to vote.


MTV News: What impact do you want your future work to have on the political landscape of New Hampshire? 


Kremer: Based on who gets elected in 2020, things could go a few different ways in the world, for better or for worse. Our work is going to include doing everything possible to get young people out to vote in New Hampshire.


We’re planning on getting thousands of young people out to the polls, and we also desire to engage with young people, getting them to volunteer with voting companies, getting their companions out to vote, and keeping the momentum for this movement going. We’re really hopeful for a remarkable voter turnout, and for some people to be out there, speaking with their peers about why this election is important.


MTV News: How do you hope securing the MTV Leaders for Change grant can assist the corporation and its future work?


Kremer: This cash would go directly to supporting our plan, and supporting our fellows. We have fellows that spend all of their time getting young people out to vote.


We have the plans and the material needed, we just need funding to keep it going. We know that the work that we do, and the ways that we do it are super efficient at getting thousands of new voters to the polls. We need cash have the ability to give our staff a stipend, to pay for their housing, and to print materials for voter pledge cards and candidate scorecards. It’s really exhilarating to be in a place where funding is the final piece needed.


MTV News: For residents in other states, and young people across the country, how come you feel that they also should vote in the 2020 election?


Kremer: That’s the million dollar question. Almost every young person needs to vote in this election because it’s the most crucial election of our lifetime. If young people effectively leverage their political power, they could determine this election. You should get out there and vote, although not only should be voting, you've got to be encouraging people to vote with you. Once we organize, work collectively, and leverage our power in a uniform way, we can bring about change.


This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.


Leaders for Change is a MTV grant program that invests in young people doing extraordinary work at the local level to advance voting access. From getting polling places on college campuses across Michigan to registering voters in Chicago jails to distributing rides to the polls in Georgia, these young leaders are breaking down the barriers that make it hard to vote in their communities.