Lars Benson is from Bemus Point, New York, where he attended Jamestown Community College before transferring to Northwestern University to complete his degree in Political Science. He has served as Chief of Staff to Northwestern's Associated Government, assisted with American Bar Foundation Research on police brutality, and currently holds a seat on the Board of Directors of Common Cause Illinois, a voting rights and electoral reform advocacy group. He plans to study Public Administration at LSE, focusing on differences in campaign finance policy and political participation between the US and UK.