They might not be as high profile as the Democrats or Republicans, but the Free Party and the State Party are looking to make sure their candidate is elected to the presidency.

Students in Advanced Placement Politics at Lawrence Free State High School are kicking off campaigns to support the candidates — Hannah Kapp-Klote for the State Party and Kenny Myers for the Free Party.

“We’re not technically liberal or conservative or Democrat or Republican,” said Kapp-Klote. “It just depends upon where people go with the issues we’ve been given.”

The three issues they must research, discuss and decide a position on are social security, the environment and health care.

“There’s just a lot of information just on those three issues,” said teacher Bobby Nichols. “I think they eventually end up coming away with a new respect for the political process, for politicians and just what an informed voter really has to know.”

Each candidate has a press secretary, researchers and a political action committee. The State Party put up signs Wednesday afternoon for Kapp-Klote, “the first female president.”

The campaign culminates Oct. 31 with the first and only debate between the two candidates. Both are former debate team members.

“We’ve clashed before,” said Kapp-Klote. “I’m going to avoid calling anybody ‘my friend.'”

Myers isn’t so sure it will be a clean fight. “She doesn’t plan for it to get rough, but it might. We’ll see what happens,” he said.

But ultimately, the students get to see all of their hard work put into making a presidential campaign work. About 250 senior government students and teachers will vote for Kapp-Klote or Myers come Election Day.

“To actually be involved in the process, even though it’s really made up, is really cool,” said Myers.

Kapp-Klote’s goal is to make the issues as simple as possible to understand.

“We’re learning how to make things that are important today accessible to people,” she said.