By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News

“People just want to vote for somebody they know has altruistic intentions,” said State Representative Katherine Kazarian. “They want to vote for somebody that’s going to be a hard worker and that they can trust and call if they have any questions… I know I’m young, but I am going to work hard.”

Now 25 and the senior planner for the City of Pawtucket, Kazarian was the youngest member of the House when she was elected in 2012. She said getting votes from people two and three times her age was all about openness and honesty.

Kazarian never thought she would run for political office – at least not at her current age – but she said a speech by President Barack Obama and a chance opening in the General Assembly brought her to where she is today.

In 2012, the 22-year-old Kazarian had just completed her bachelor’s degree in urban studies and economics at Columbia University’s Barnard College in New York. Obama was the commencement speaker and encouraged the graduates to get out and help their communities.

“It really stuck with me,” said Kazarian. “It was a great message.”

Kazarian had been a member of the honor society and student government, but always saw herself as someone who would work on campaigns, not launch them. But when she returned home to East Providence, she realized the state had redistricted and her home seat in District 63 was open. She took a chance and tossed her hat into the ring.

“It was crazy,” said Kazarian of her first race. “There’s no book you can read, no movie you can watch that will prepare you for running for office.”

So Kazarian set out to meet as many constituents as possible, knocking on every door she passed by. Her tactic worked: she beat out three other Democrats in a tight primary and then handily beat a lone independent challenger in the general election. In 2014, she ran unopposed.

But once she tackled the campaign trail, the learning process was far from over – the State House was her next assignment.

“It’s very overwhelming,” said Kazarian, who was tasked with learning the names of more than 100 fellow legislators, navigating the system of drafting legislation and finding where committee meetings were being held. She also said there was a noticeable difference between her and some of the older lawmakers.

“If I need to look something up, I would just go online,” laughed Kazarian. That was not the case with some of the more senior members of the assembly. But she said she’s not knocking the Representatives and Senators who’ve been there almost as long as she’s been alive.

“I feel like I’ve learned some of my greatest lessons from them,” she said.

Now, there are more 20-something lawmakers and Kazarian said she can feel the “new energy” in the State House. There’s also been a major shakeup in the House in Kazarian’s time: with the corruption charges that followed the raid on ex-House Speaker Gordon Fox’s home and office, a new speaker is in charge.

Kazarian said it’s a palpable difference now that Speaker Nicholas Mattiello is at the rostrum.

“There was this very frantic feeling on the floor,” said Kazarian of last year’s budget process, which came just several months after Mattiello took the helm. “It was a very different tone this year.”

She said the three-hour budget vote on June 16 was one of the biggest surprises of this year’s session.

Kazarian said other young people who want to get involved with politics shouldn’t hesitate to do so.

“Do your research and your homework,” said Kazarian, who also advises surrounding yourself with likeminded people. “Get the ball rolling.”

And don’t worry if you shoot for the moon and land among the stars.

“A lot of time we overthink things or we think that our goals and dreams are too big and they’ll never be attainable, but I think it’s really just important to believe in yourself,” she said. “And just go for it.”

As for what Kazarian will run for next: “I always try and take this job a day at a time and right now I’m just very happy to be representing District 63 in East Providence,” she said.

When nudged about a potential run for Governor someday, Kazarian just laughed and said, “No, no, not as of right now.”