Taxes, jobs, urban sprawl, transit, debt and crime -- old issues that surface in almost every civic election campaign.

But not so old are some of the voices debating them in London's latest election fight.

Josh Morgan, 28, David Wagner, 21, Jordan Smith, 19, and Joshua Hurwitz, 19, are the youngest city council candidates in next Monday's vote.

"I do get people saying, 'You're awfully young,' " conceded Hurwitz, youngest of 10 candidates for council's board of control.

"But once I get a chance to talk to them about the issues, people aren't seeing age as a drawback. They're seeing it as an asset. I'm not part of an old boys' network. I'm young with a fresh perspective. I feel I'm earning a lot of respect."

Indeed, Hurwitz hasn't looked out of place at several candidate debates, speaking confidently with wit, humour, understanding of most issues and some ideas.

"He's a very bright young man," offered Deputy Mayor Tom Gosnell.

"He's very passionate about what he believes in and what he lacks in experience, he makes up for in passion."

Gosnell was a relative youngster when he first sought a council seat at 27. Of course, he had pedigree: His father, Fred, had been mayor.

Gosnell said he welcomes the young candidates.

"I'd hope he'd get younger people interested and involved in the campaigns," he said.

"The issues of local politics are too often too low on the priority list for young people. Yet, many issues affect young people as much as anyone. So you'd really like to see them get involved."

And there's the rub.

While it's not unusual to see youngsters challenging for seats on council, it is to see their peers lined up to vote.

"There's a lot of evidence that homeowners are much more likely to vote than non-homeowners," said political scientist Andrew Sancton, a civic government expert at the University of Western Ontario.

"Given (that) young people tend not to be homeowners as much would explain part of it. But I also think they're much more mobile. In our home, there are four voting cards. But our daughters are away at university and they're not likely to vote."

Young voters, especially students, are a formidable constituency in London, home to more than 50,000 students at UWO and Fanshawe College.

But students often don't vote in civic elections, reasoning -- if they're from elsewhere -- they're only visitors to London, or lack the history and knowledge of local issues.

Still, while they may not be taxpaying homeowners, many young voters pay property taxes through rent. And a litany of issues affects them, including transportation, housing, crime and jobs.

"There are issues that cut across the boundaries (of age and home ownership)," said Fab Dolan, 21, student council president at UWO, who cites jobs as an example.

"If London grows and prospers, it affects the students . . . And if there's a recession, that affects students, too."

Dolan said part of the problem is that local politicians don't address student issues.

"They may not vote because they they think politicians don't care," he said. "(Politicians) are more concerned about cracking down on students (rowdiness, vandalism, housing) because it makes them look good to their other constituents."

Young voters, he said, won't listen to politicians who offer little more than "rhetoric." He suggested students are more interested in debating ideas and issues than rhetoric.

Younger candidates such as Hurwitz and Morgan, said Dolan, will draw interest from young voters.

"Often because they're younger, they're more in touch with what our issues are and that will help," said Dolan.

"But you don't need to be 21 to understand our issues. It's really about talking to students. It's not about age, but about ideas and politicians being willing to listen."

Josh Morgan has been involved in politics one way or another all his adult life.

At 19, he sought a seat on Plympton Township council near Sarnia, and in 2003 ran for London's Ward 1.

He was also heavily involved in student politics at UWO, sat on several city committees and has made presentations to council on issues.

At 28, he now works for the university as recruitment and development officer for the local government program.

"I think what we need to do is get some younger people elected to council," he said. "That way you can talk to young people about being active participants in the democratic process and show them that you can make a difference."

YOUTH CANDIDATES

Mini-profiles of under-30 candidates for London city hall in next week's civic election:

JOSH MORGAN

- Office: City council, Ward 8

- Age: 28

- Recruitment and development officer UWO's local government studies program.

- Family: Engaged

- Education: BA, MA

- Website: www.joshmorgan.ca

JORDAN SMITH

- Office: City council, Ward 10

- Age: 19

- Post-secondary student

- Family: single

- Education: high school graduate

- Website: www.jordan

DAVID WAGNER

- Office: City council, Ward3

- Age: 21

- Fanshawe College student

- Family: single

- Education: high school graduate

- Website: None

JOSHUA HURWITZ

- Office: Board of control

- Age: 19

- University student

- Family: single

- Education: high school graduate

- Website: www.hurwitz.ca