Young candidates rock the 2007 election
City councils and mayor’s offices across the country got an infusion of new blood after this past Tuesday’s elections. Young candidates – from their late teens to their mid-30s – beat out incumbents or older opponents in several races. Below are just a few examples – if you know of any others, let us all know in the comments!
Fitchburg, MA: “For the first time in its 243-year history, Fitchburg has elected a minority mayor. Lisa Wong, a daughter of Chinese immigrants, is 28 years old and a newcomer to the world of politics. On her first campaign for municipal office, Wong unseated a four-term City Councilor to become the Mayor of Fitchburg.” WBUR, 11/8/07
Pittsburgh, PA: “Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is challenging Pittsburgh residents to forget the past and start believing in themselves and the city. The 27-year-old mayor won the election yesterday to finish out his predecessor's term.” Associated Press, 11/7/07
Kentucky: “[Trey] Grayson, 35, of Richwood, emerged from the [Secretary of State] contest with his rising political star very much intact… The only Northern Kentuckian to hold a statewide office in the past four years will maintain that distinction for the next four years, after dispatching Democratic challenger Bruce Hendrickson with 57 percent of the vote Tuesday.” The Kentucky Post, 11/7/07
Branford, CT: Eighteen-year-old Grady Keefe won a spot on the Representative Town Meeting, Branford's legislative body, on Tuesday. WTNH, 10/26/07 and New Haven Register, 11/8/07
Duluth, MN: “It pays to be young, run an aggressive campaign, have lots of campaign cash and, in some cases, get union help. That’s what pundits said about Tuesday’s Duluth City Council election in which five new councilors were chosen and three incumbents lost their seats…Jeff Anderson, 30, Tony Cuneo, 29, and Mayor-elect Don Ness, 33, were victorious.” Duluth News Tribune, 11/7/07
Battle Creek, MI: “[Ryan] Hersha, 34, elected Tuesday to his third term on the [Battle Creek City] commission, said the city is at a critical juncture in its economic health and the next commission will have the chance to help shape Battle Creek's future.” Battle Creek Enquirer, 11/7/07
Missoula, MT: “Ward 1 candidate Jason Wiener won a decisive victory…In Ward 1, [30-year-old] Wiener mounted a strong campaign that only ended Tuesday afternoon, with a hike in his ward in the North Hills…He continued to knock on doors, and according to unofficial results, Wiener earned 64 percent of the vote to Armintrout's 34 percent.” The Missoulan, 11/7/07
East Lansing, MI: “Voters appear to have opted for change Tuesday, with two new faces poised to join the five-member City Council. …including [24-year-old Nathan] Triplett [who] earned bachelor's degrees from MSU in 2006 in political theory and social relations. He is a legislative aide in the Michigan House of Representatives.” Lansing State Journal, 11/7/07
Springfield, GA: “Twenty-seven-year-old Troy Allen will become the youngest member of the Springfield City Council when he takes his seat in January. Allen, along with council incumbents Max Neidlinger and Butch Kieffer were the top three vote getters during Tuesday's election, which had 287 - or 23 percent - of the city's registered voters turn out. Councilman Dennis Webb did not run for re-election.” Savannah Morning News, 11/8/07
Fitchburg, MA: “For the first time in its 243-year history, Fitchburg has elected a minority mayor. Lisa Wong, a daughter of Chinese immigrants, is 28 years old and a newcomer to the world of politics. On her first campaign for municipal office, Wong unseated a four-term City Councilor to become the Mayor of Fitchburg.” WBUR, 11/8/07
Pittsburgh, PA: “Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is challenging Pittsburgh residents to forget the past and start believing in themselves and the city. The 27-year-old mayor won the election yesterday to finish out his predecessor's term.” Associated Press, 11/7/07
Kentucky: “[Trey] Grayson, 35, of Richwood, emerged from the [Secretary of State] contest with his rising political star very much intact… The only Northern Kentuckian to hold a statewide office in the past four years will maintain that distinction for the next four years, after dispatching Democratic challenger Bruce Hendrickson with 57 percent of the vote Tuesday.” The Kentucky Post, 11/7/07
Branford, CT: Eighteen-year-old Grady Keefe won a spot on the Representative Town Meeting, Branford's legislative body, on Tuesday. WTNH, 10/26/07 and New Haven Register, 11/8/07
Duluth, MN: “It pays to be young, run an aggressive campaign, have lots of campaign cash and, in some cases, get union help. That’s what pundits said about Tuesday’s Duluth City Council election in which five new councilors were chosen and three incumbents lost their seats…Jeff Anderson, 30, Tony Cuneo, 29, and Mayor-elect Don Ness, 33, were victorious.” Duluth News Tribune, 11/7/07
Battle Creek, MI: “[Ryan] Hersha, 34, elected Tuesday to his third term on the [Battle Creek City] commission, said the city is at a critical juncture in its economic health and the next commission will have the chance to help shape Battle Creek's future.” Battle Creek Enquirer, 11/7/07
Missoula, MT: “Ward 1 candidate Jason Wiener won a decisive victory…In Ward 1, [30-year-old] Wiener mounted a strong campaign that only ended Tuesday afternoon, with a hike in his ward in the North Hills…He continued to knock on doors, and according to unofficial results, Wiener earned 64 percent of the vote to Armintrout's 34 percent.” The Missoulan, 11/7/07
East Lansing, MI: “Voters appear to have opted for change Tuesday, with two new faces poised to join the five-member City Council. …including [24-year-old Nathan] Triplett [who] earned bachelor's degrees from MSU in 2006 in political theory and social relations. He is a legislative aide in the Michigan House of Representatives.” Lansing State Journal, 11/7/07
Springfield, GA: “Twenty-seven-year-old Troy Allen will become the youngest member of the Springfield City Council when he takes his seat in January. Allen, along with council incumbents Max Neidlinger and Butch Kieffer were the top three vote getters during Tuesday's election, which had 287 - or 23 percent - of the city's registered voters turn out. Councilman Dennis Webb did not run for re-election.” Savannah Morning News, 11/8/07
Labels: young candidates, young elected officials
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