Home

In 2005, four towns in the United States elected 18-year-olds into office.

Michael Sessions beat out the 51-year-old incumbent to win the mayor's seat in his hometown of Hillsdale, Mich., population 8,233. He was not old enough to vote in the primary. His campaign cost $700.

In an article by the Los Angeles Times, the principal of Hillsdale High School was quoted as saying, "I told him that if he wins, he'll still need to finish his homework. I'd hate to have to suspend a city official."

Sessions' election received the most attention by national press because of the prestige of the position and because he is still in high school, but Sessions was not alone. Across the country, the election of teenage officials was something of a trend.

In Roland, Iowa, Sam Juhl was the only candidate on the ballot of the mayor's office. He received 48 percent of the vote in his town of 1,345 people.

High school senior Chris--topher Seeley won the mayor's seat in Linesvale, Penn., population 1,155; and in Maine, Mike Foley won a seat on the Westbrook City Council. Foley is also a senior in high school.

This movement of teens running for office and winning gave the Teen Style staff a chance to talk about the politics of our town. Could a teenager ever be elected to office in Steamboat Springs? And if it were possible, would any of the Teen Style staff consider running and on what platform?

Of the Teen Style staff members who attended this week's Hot Topic discussion, none could envision running for office, and all wondered how qualified the teenagers elected across the country really are, and whether they should be put in charge of a town, no matter how small.

"I wouldn't run for office at this age," said Sierra Weir, 14. "I still want to be a kid."

Jenny Lee, 17, agreed.

"I want to enjoy my age," Lee said.

Hearing the quote from Sessions' Hillsdale High School principal about homework put it in perspective for most of the staff.

"It's hard enough trying to keep up with high school," said Josie Pacana, 15. "I wouldn't want the extra burden of having to do school work and also being mayor."

And even if they did want to run for office, the staff agreed, Steamboat would never elect a teen.

"I think it has a lot to do with this being a tourist town," Lee said. "There's a lot more at stake, a lot more money."

But if it were possible to get elected in Steamboat, what would Teen Style staff do with that opportunity?

The first issue they would address is growth.

"I would try to keep Steamboat the way it is and stop putting up condos," Lee said. "We need to stop building it up so much."

Lee also would work on diversifying the economy.

"Steamboat should be about more than just skiing," she said. "We should bring back things like the Vintage Car Races. That was really cool."

The second issue the Teen Style council members would address is such "anti-teen" rules as banning skateboards from sidewalks and most city streets, Weir said.

"I would make everyone buy a kitty," Pacana said.

That comment led everyone back to the original thought. Teens should not be in office.

"When you're 18, you haven't really paid taxes, so how can you tell other people what to do with their taxes."

"You haven't lived in the real world," Pacana said. "You have no life experience."

"But it would look really good on a college resume," Weir said.