Corsair Fair

Carmel hosts local candidates

Senior Brian Arata is a volunteer for Rod Drobinski’s campaign

In an event designed to attract young volunteers and voters, Carmel’s social studies department hosted a campaign fair highlighting local and state elections Thursday afternoon.

Candidates from the race for Illinois 10th Congressional District, 59th House District, 62nd House District all set up tables in the Black Box Theater with information regarding their campaign.

While most campaigns sent a representatives to talk about their messages, two candidates came to the fair to talk to students in person. Both are Carmel alums, Dawn Abernathy and Rod Drobinski, but are running in different races.

Kirk, Duckworth, Yingling and Amrozowicz campaigns were absent from the event, missing a key opportunity to present their message.

Securing votes wasn’t the only goal, especially at a school where only a small percentage of the population can actually fill out the ballot. Most campaigns were handing out flyers for service opportunities or paid internships.

Dan McConchie’s representative, Sabrina Wymian, is a college student who is interning for McConchie.

“When he hired me, he said ‘I don’t want her unless she has a semester off,’” Wymian said.  “He didn’t want to deprive me of my educational experience by being his intern.”

Most of the candidates just wanted to make sure that the students had a chance to learn about the process.

“You have to be informed. You have to be involved. You have to vote,” said Dawn Abernathy as she talked to a group of students.

While it is clear the impact candidates hope to have on Carmel students, some students are focusing on the impact that they will have on this election and elections in the future.

Senior and class president Bryce Thomas stressed the importance of the next generation in politics as he walked around the event.

“We’re the ones who can make a difference,” said Thomas. “And we’re also going to have to deal with whatever happens.”

(additional reporting by Liam Easley)