Virginian, 17, is Youngest Delegate to GOP Convention

Evan Draim is 17 years old. From Virginia, he is the youngest delegate at the Republican National Convention this week – and he can’t even vote yet.

“This entire experience has made me fall in love with the Republican Party and the conservative movement so much more,” Draim told the Examiner.

Draim, of Mount Vernon, turns 18 on Sept. 14, the Examiner reports. Because he’d be eligible to vote on Nov. 6, he can serve as a delegate in Tampa.

This isn’t his first convention, though. For an eighth-grade graduation gift in 2009, Draim asked his parents to take him to Richmond for the Virginia Republican Convention.

“I think more young people need to have their voices heard through voting and also in becoming engaged in the political process,” Draim told the Examiner. “I'm here to convey the message of how conservatism is benefiting young Americans.”