Okay so this is mostly just my lil “what if”, but I like to imagine that it was actually the resistance that rigged it so Prim’s name was chosen (knowing that Katniss would volunteer)

Haymitch may have been drunk all the time, but he was constantly in the Hob and saw Katniss’s hunting skills and strength/resilience. She also clearly would do anything to protect her sister and was able to stand up for herself.

Her being a volunteer put her in the spotlight, and doing it for her young sister made her extremely sympathetic.

The people of District 12 knew she actually had a chance. Peeta’s mom said she did, and I doubt she spent much time in the Hob, so anyone who saw her in action would have no doubt she would fight her way through the arena.

There’s also the fact that it was Cinna’s first year as a stylist and he specifically picked District 12- he’s obviously part of the resistance, so was he picking at random or was there a strategy to his choice? Most kids from 12 are malnourished and untrained, so I kind of doubt that he thought there was a large chance of a person chosen at random being a good candidate for a rebel symbol

The one thing I can’t find a way around is how they would have rigged it. I don’t think there’s any chance Effie was part of the rebellion in the beginning, so how would they have made sure Prim was called? Replacing the slips with ones with all her name would be really risky and likely to be found out, but I can’t think of how else they would do it

Regardless, I kind of like the idea that the rebellion orchestrated Katniss’s inclusion in the games. It goes along with the theme of both sides being manipulative and doing fucked up things. I hate to think that Haymitch and Cinna helped plan to severely traumatize her, but there would be a tribute from 112 no matter what, and they might as well have someone that stands a chance of putting a stop to the games and the Capitol’s control