| 18-year-olds
expand campaign perspective |
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| Consider the following campaign promises: |
| Expanding
a recycling program, bringing in new housing development, improving
safety services without additional taxes, expanding recreational
facilities, setting road impact fees for builders developing property in
the city, planting new trees, creating a community garden project for
empty city lots, being more considerate of residents' concerns, bending
to the needs of the people, keeping the door a little more open to the
people. Not bad, considering they come from candidates just old enough to vote. The candidates in question are two local 18-year-old men who are spending the remaining days of summer planning campaigns for city council, one in Lorain and the other in Avon. Greg Holcomb is running for an at-large seat in Lorain as an independent. A registered Democrat who graduated from Lorain Southview High School in June, he said he chose to run now because he is legally permitted to do so. He's a veteran observer at Lorain City Council meetings. ''I've been going down there two years, and last year I wasn't eligible to vote and this year I am, so I just decided now that I'm eligible I would run,'' said Holcomb. ''There are so many problems that maybe now is my time to step up.'' Larry Hoekstra II, a 2001 graduate of Avon High School, is running for council-at-large in Avon, where the seats are nonpartisan. He was the driving force behind a charter amendment issue that will be on the November ballot that would lower the age of eligibility to serve on council from 20 to 18. ''My original intentions were not to run this year. I just wanted to get the age change put on the ballot, but after seeing how council handled the issue and being asked by constituents, I've decided to run,'' said Hoekstra. Holcomb has been campaigning door-to-door and said he hasn't encountered many disparaging remarks. Hoekstra said he has received a lot of encouragement from friends and constituents to run for office. Both candidates plan to pursue college educations. Hoekstra said he will be studying business administration and management at Lorain County Community College. Holcomb said he will be attending John Carroll University and is thinking about studying political science. ''It's not the age that makes a candidate a good candidate. It's the candidate's knowledge that makes a candidate a good candidate,'' says Hoekstra. We think it's up to the voters in each city to decide if an 18-year-old candidate will make a good representative on council, but we think having them in the campaigns adds refreshing perspectives. |
| �The Morning Journal 2002 |