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Sam Spencer

The Democratic National Convention in Charlotte Sept. 3-6 will attract a diverse army of delegates from around the country, including a higher-than-usual number of young people. Among them is 27-year-old Sam Spencer of Davidson, who also is president of the Young Democrats of North Carolina.

North Carolina will send 158 delegates to the convention, people elected by fellow Democrats to represent their districts as the party nominates Barack Obama to run for a second term. About one-fifth the delegates, 32, are young people, a group he says will pay an important role in the presidential election this year.

“It’s more than North Carolina’s ever sent to the convention and I think they’re really going to play an outsized role,” Mr. Spencer said. “And it’s indicative of the fact that young people were a really important part of the coalition that elected President Obama in 2008 and we’re hopeful we’ll re-elect him in 2012.”

Mr. Spencer is a Davidson College graduate who has been active in Democratic politics locally and statewide since 2007. He was elected for his first term as the state Young Democrats’ leader in 2011, and was re-elected this year.

In a 4-minute interview, he talked about his work with the party, the importance of young voters in this election and what he’ll be doing at the convention. (Preview: the Party, and parties.)

Convention-related events begin Monday, Sept. 3, around Charlotte with official business starting Tuesday at Time Warner Arena.

- David Boraks