Mary Young (politician)

From 1973 until 2001, Young worked as a special education teacher, initially in Romeoville, Illinois before moving to Weld County, Colorado. After getting a PhD in psychology in 2000, Young began working as a school psychologist, which she continues to do.^[3]

In 2018, 50th district incumbent – and Young's husband – Dave Young ran successfully for Colorado State Treasurer, and was succeeded in the State House by fellow Democrat Rochelle Galindo. Galindo resigned only 5 months into her term, however, after being accused of sexual misconduct and providing alcohol to a minor.^[4]

That June, a Weld County Democratic vacancy committee met to determine Galindo's successor. Young won 6 of the committee's 9 votes, while Greeley-Evans school board member Rhonda Solis received 3; four other candidates applied but received no votes.^[5][6] Young assumed office immediately. She was re-elected in 2020 and 2022.^[2] Young ran for re-election again in 2024. In the Democratic primary election held June 25, 2024, she ran unopposed.^[7] In the general election held November 5, 2024, Young was defeated by Republican candidate Ryan Gonzalez.^[8]

Tenure

In the 2021-2022 legislative sessions, Young sat in the Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee and was vice-chair of the Education Committee.^[1] In the 2022 legislative session, Young sponsored bills which aimed at improving supportive learning, special education, mental health, reducing license fees and other similar measures.^[9] For the 2023-2024 Legislative Sessions, Young sat on the same committees however became the Vice-Chair of the Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee. In September 2022, the Colorado Behavioral Health Council recognized Young for her legislative work on behavioral health.^[10]

Young lives in Greeley with her husband Dave.^[11] She is a school psychologist.^[1] Young is also a co-guardian of her sister-in-law after a liver transplant.^[12]