JACKSON - Wyoming Democrats say the selection of two 18-year-olds as delegates to the party's national convention this summer is representative of an upswing in youth interest in politics - a trend both Democrats and Republicans hope will translate into votes.

Neither Layha Spoonhunter, of Ethete, nor Willie Neal, of Teton County, had ever voted in an election prior to the start of this year's Democratic nomination process. Now they're among 12 pledged delegates that will represent Wyoming at the national convention in Denver. Both are delegates for Sen. Barack Obama.

"I just wanted to show not only Native youth but all youth that they can contribute," said Spoonhunter, a member of the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes. "I wanted to be a part of the change that's happening in America, and not just sit there and complain in November."

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who spoke at the Wyoming Democratic Convention on Saturday, said politicians generally write off young voters, assuming they won't show up unless Jesse Ventura, the former Minnesota governor and pro wrestler, is in the race. But this election cycle is proving to be different, he said.

"They are showing up," he said. "They know these are serious times and this is their country."

Jan Larimer, Republican Party committeewoman from Wyoming and a vice chairman of the Republican National Committee, said the Wyoming GOP has seen a lot of youth enter the party this year, also.

"We broke records in almost every county with our county conventions in January, and I would say more young people involved was the reason," Larimer said in a telephone interview Monday.

"We've been trying for a long time to get more young people interested and enthused in politics," she said. "And for whatever reason, they seem to be this year."

Young voters are less inclined to identify with one party or the other, said Gary Trauner, a Democrat seeking his party's nomination to run for Wyoming's seat in the U.S. House. He hopes young voters drawn into politics by this year's presidential race will take an interest in other contests.

"It's a great opportunity for us to reach out to some of the people that are perhaps more predisposed to some of our ideas," Trauner said.

Neal, who's taking a year off between high school and college to nordic ski for an Olympic development team, said he gravitated to Obama's "message of hope and change."

He said he felt Obama has the most comprehensive plan for dealing with the nation's energy needs. For his part, Spoonhunter said Obama has paid attention to American Indian issues and said he supported Obama's plans to appoint an American Indian adviser.

Both political newcomers said they support Obama's opposition to the Iraq war.

"I'm 18 and I don't want go to war and I don't want to be drafted," Neal said. "I believe (Obama) is 100 percent committed to getting out of Iraq."

Mike Bell, chairman of the Laramie County Democrats, said this year's state Democratic convention was unique because of the competition for delegate positions and the number of young people involved. The young participants were well organized, he said.

"In years past, they've had to scramble to get people to go to the convention," Bell said. "There hasn't been this kind of excitement in a while."