ABC27 WHTM Two young candidates win primary election races

Two young candidates win primary election races

Young people are often accused of not caring about politics. That wasn't the case in Harrisburg during the campaign. Two candidates in their 20s won their Democratic primary races. A 21-year-old running for Harrisburg School Board and a 23-year-old vying for Harrisburg Treasurer are on track to become the youngest people to hold those positions.

Destini Hodges, a 2008 Harrisburg Sci Tech grad, and current Penn State political science major, ran for school board to give students more of a voice. She couldn't believe her eyes as the poll numbers poured in on election night.

"I came back, trying to fix my glasses, an I'm like oh shoot, I'm winning by 100," Hodges said. "It was very exciting and many times, overwhelming. Am I going to maintain this spot? Am I going to stay number one?"

In the end, Hodges was the top vote getter, though her name almost did not appear on the ballot. Fellow school board candidate Autumn Cooper challenged the validity of signatures on Hodges' petition, including that of her mom's.

Cooper lost her court battle and the race, and now Hodges may be the youngest person ever elected to the post.

"I was surprised and shocked how much the community actually embraced me and believed in me and at times, had more confidence in me than I did at that point," Hodges said.

The community also embraced John Campbell. He won the Democratic nod for city treasurer, beating out a challenger who's older and who ran on experience.

"Emotional and hectic all together in the same sense," Campbell said. "It was a good day at the end of it."

Between campaigning and working the polls on Election Day, Campbell found time to attend his graduation ceremony at HACC. Armed with a business administration degree, Campbell said he's ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work.

"I think this election proved that young people care and young people can get elected and that people are thirsty for change and for new ideas," Campbell said.

Neither Campbell nor Hodges are facing any Republican challengers. So unless there's a major write-in campaign in November's general election, come January, they're in.