Last modified: Friday, May 16, 2008 1:26 AM EDT 17-year-old Joseph Lazzerini will be running for Attleboro City Council next year. (Staff photo by Tom Maguire) Young local politicians on the rise BY JIM HAND SUN CHRONICLE STAFF Presidential contender Barack Obama has been credited with inspiring young people to shake off their apathy and get involved in politics. But local young people running for office say their motivation comes from within, rather than from a national leader. Devin Romanul of Mansfield, a 23-year-old running for state representative, said he admires some things about Obama, but he has been politically active his whole life. Romanual said he remembers staying up late watching election returns from the Bill Clinton-George H.W. Bush election in 1992 when he was only 8 years old. "I've been thinking about doing this for a long time," he said, admitting he is "atypical" for his generation. Romanual said he sees more young people are getting involved in politics this year because they realize how important their vote is and how much is at stake. There are a number of young people running in the Attleboro area. Romanul, a Democrat, is running against Rep. Jay Barrows, R-Mansfield. Tom Roache, 28, an independent, is taking on Rep. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham. Joseph Lazzerini, only 17, plans to run for Attleboro City Council next year when he turns 18. "Three young people in the Greater Attleboro area is highly unusual," said Michael Kryzanek, a political science professor at Bridgewater State College. The candidacy of the local three comes on top of the election of 23-year-old Sean Garballey of Arlington to the Massachusetts House in a special election in February. Garballey served on his town's school committee when he was 19. Earlier this week, a 19-year-old was elected mayor of Muskogee, Okla. Roache, of Medfield, said his campaign shares some of the themes of bipartisanship as Obama's campaign, but that is not why he is running. "I certainly have my own reasons," he said. Roache said he believes young people see the gridlock and partisan bickering in politics and want to try a more cooperative approach. "We see opportunity in cooperation and collaboration. It is a movement that is just starting to gain critical mass," he said. Whether there will be a trend toward young people participating in politics will depend to a large degree on whether people like himself are successful in breaking through partisan stalemates to solve problems. "If we are successful, we can reshape how things work," he said. Roache said he believes people are ready for that kind of change, pointing out that 62 percent of the voters in his district are independents. The district includes Plainville, Wrentham and Norfolk. Kryzanek, the political scientist, said voter registration among young people has gone up this year and Obama has been credited with a lot of the increase. Obama's message of change and doing away with old style politics resonates with young people, he said. Whether young people just have a passing interest in the presidential election or are actually being inspired to get involved has not yet been determined, he said. On the Bridgewater State College campus, Kryzanek said he does not see a lot of political activity, but he does see students doing more community service. "I see a lot of volunteer work, community service, public service, rather than running for office or getting involved in a campaign," he said.