Arrin Hawkins facts for kids
Arrin Hawkins is an American activist and political candidate. An activist is someone who works to bring about social or political change. A political candidate is a person who runs for a public office. Hawkins was chosen by the Socialist Workers Party to be their candidate for Vice President in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. Róger Calero was the party's candidate for president.
Hawkins could not become Vice President because she was not old enough. The U.S. Constitution says a Vice President must be at least 35 years old. Because of this rule, her name could not be on the ballot in some states. A ballot is the paper or electronic form used to cast votes in an election. In those states, Margaret Trowe ran instead of Hawkins. Trowe had been the party's Vice-Presidential candidate in 2000.
Róger Calero also needed a different candidate in some states. This was because he was born in Nicaragua. The U.S. Constitution says the President must be born in the United States. The original candidate, Martin Koppel, would also not have been eligible. In the 2004 election, the candidates with Calero received 5,150 votes. The candidates with James Harris received 2,424 votes.
Early Political Career
In 2002, Arrin Hawkins was the Socialist Workers Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York. She ran alongside Martin Koppel in the 2002 New York gubernatorial election. A lieutenant governor is a state official, similar to a vice president for a state.
In 2005, Hawkins ran for Manhattan Borough president. A borough president is a leader of one of New York City's five main areas, called boroughs. She received 2,375 votes, which was about 1% of the total. She lost to Scott Stringer.
Education and Activism
Arrin Hawkins is a leader in the youth part of the Socialist Workers Party. This group focuses on involving young people in politics. She earned a degree from the University of Minnesota. During her studies, she spent time in Senegal. In Senegal, she learned about the role of women in African society.
