Endorsing Maryah Lauer (District 3) and Chauncy Johnson (District 4), New Era Colorado Action Fund expands its work to elect young leaders.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Christina Soliz
Executive Director
christina@neweracoloradoaction.org
313-673-5474
neweracoloradoaction.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, FEB. 25, 2025 – Today, New Era Colorado Action Fund (NECAF) announced its first-ever endorsements in a municipal election, backing Maryah Lauer for Colorado Springs City Council District 3 and Chauncy Johnson for Colorado Springs City Council District 4.
“We are thrilled to endorse candidates who will carry young people’s priorities into the halls of power,” said New Era Colorado Action Fund Executive Director Christina Soliz. “City councils have immense power to create positive change and protect our communities from the harmful federal attacks that are happening right now. It’s beyond time for young people to be part of local decision-making. Investing in young, bold leaders like Lauer and Johnson now is how we build a more equitable, just, and thriving future for Colorado Springs.”
District 3 candidate and University of Colorado – Colorado Springs alumna Maryah Lauer is a bold advocate for working people, renters, and young Coloradans. She has a deep commitment to expanding renter protections, banning algorithmic rent inflation, and preventing private equity from driving up housing costs. She is also fighting for increased government accountability and more accessibility, ensuring that all residents, especially young people, can engage in local government.
Lauer has a proven track record of grassroots organizing, including managing the successful campaign to defeat Ballot Question 2A in 2023, which stopped nearly $5 million in funding for a new police facility. She has also led efforts to support immigrant rights and created the “Garbage Gang” initiative, which provides sanitation resources to unhoused communities.
Lauer understands the financial challenges facing students and young people. Her leadership style is rooted in community engagement, progressive change, and amplifying the voices of young residents in Colorado Springs.
District 4 candidate Chauncy Johnson has spent his life advocating for his community through organizing, legislating, and mobilizing to create real change. At just 25 years old, his impact already surpasses that of many lifelong politicians, proving that leadership isn’t about age; it’s about action.
His work at the Colorado State Capitol has given him firsthand experience in shaping policy, holding lawmakers accountable, and making government work for the people. Johnson’ platform, centered on public safety reform, housing affordability, and innovative transportation solutions, reflects both his deep policy knowledge and his lived experience as a young leader who cares deeply about the Colorado Springs community.
From leading 2020 protests against police violence, including the killing of a community member he knew personally, to working on Prop FF in El Paso County to secure free school lunches for kids, Johnson has consistently fought for policies that improve lives. His efforts in defeating Ballot Question 2A with Lauer ensured that $5 million in taxpayer money didn’t fund a new police training academy but could instead be invested in community needs.
Colorado Springs will begin mailing ballots to registered voters on March 7. Votes must be cast by 7 p.m. on April 1.
Eligible voters can register to vote or update their voter registration online here and find their city council district here.
New Era Colorado Action Fund is a grassroots nonprofit that harnesses young people’s political power to co-create a Colorado that serves all of us.
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