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The Myrick Campaign, March-August
Building off his successful bid for Common Council two years earlier, Myrick announced his entry into the mayoral race in late March 2011, telling The Cornell Daily Sun, “I love this city and believe my service as mayor will make a difference. I have a record of bringing together the many perspectives of Ithaca to maximize our strengths as a city.”
He received immediate endorsements from prominent local politicians Dan Cogan, Deb Molenhoff and Eddie Rooker. Myrick also began recruiting members to his campaign team—Fil Eden became his campaign manager following his return from Budapest; Rob Flaherty was recruited by Myrick personally; and Karen Schillinger joined following her application to become Svante’s field manager.
He received immediate endorsements from prominent local politicians Dan Cogan, Deb Molenhoff and Eddie Rooker. Myrick also began recruiting members to his campaign team—Fil Eden became his campaign manager following his return from Budapest; Rob Flaherty was recruited by Myrick personally; and Karen Schillinger joined following her application to become Svante’s field manager.
Primary Election Season, August-September
Myrick continued his campaign over the summer, but things really began heating up in the month leading up to the Democratic Primary Election on September 13. Myrick faced two main challengers, legislator Pam Mackesey and councilman J.R. Clairborne; supporters of each raised questions about Myrick’s youth and campaign funding.
In fact, Mackesey penned an op-ed charging Myrick and his team of being “carpetbaggers” for reaching out to youth voters. Myrick has rejected this charge, saying that he believes all Ithaca residents, including its students, have a stake in the community, which is why his campaign manager reached out directly to some students asking for their votes.
In a heated race, Myrick emerged victorious, winning a spot on the Democratic ticket with 853 votes, besting Mackesey’s 694 and Clairborne’s 310. This despite only 31 votes in the student-dominated fourth ward
In fact, Mackesey penned an op-ed charging Myrick and his team of being “carpetbaggers” for reaching out to youth voters. Myrick has rejected this charge, saying that he believes all Ithaca residents, including its students, have a stake in the community, which is why his campaign manager reached out directly to some students asking for their votes.
In a heated race, Myrick emerged victorious, winning a spot on the Democratic ticket with 853 votes, besting Mackesey’s 694 and Clairborne’s 310. This despite only 31 votes in the student-dominated fourth ward
General Election Season, September-November
Myrick told Wheat for Sheep Productions on the night of his primary victory that he "would be right back to work tomorrow.” That held true, as Myrick’s campaign team continued to work the phones and knock on doors in the wake of his first victory. While Mackesey dropped out following the primary, Clairborne decided to run as an independent.
Myrick also faced competition from independent Wade Wykstra and Republican Janis Kelly. While age and money remained an issue, Myrick weathered the criticism as the front runner this time, and even won the support of the Ithaca’s current mayor, Carolyn Peterson, who declared that “age itself doesn’t matter.”
Democratic nomination in hand, Myrick cruised to victory in the general election on November 8 with 54 percent of the popular vote. He won despite continued disappointing turnout in Ithaca’s student-dominated fourth ward.
Myrick also faced competition from independent Wade Wykstra and Republican Janis Kelly. While age and money remained an issue, Myrick weathered the criticism as the front runner this time, and even won the support of the Ithaca’s current mayor, Carolyn Peterson, who declared that “age itself doesn’t matter.”
Democratic nomination in hand, Myrick cruised to victory in the general election on November 8 with 54 percent of the popular vote. He won despite continued disappointing turnout in Ithaca’s student-dominated fourth ward.
Background on Youth Engagement in Ithaca
Based on conversations with representatives of the Tompkins County Board of Elections and the Tompkins County History Center, Wheat for Sheep Productions was able to determine candidates around Myrick’s age first emerged about fifteen years ago.
The first successful bid was Cornell student Josh Glasstetter’s, who won a spot on Common Council representing the Fourth Ward for the Green Party in 2000. Following Glasstetter’s election, a number of students have followed suit in serving on the Common Council. Glasstetter, however, resigned before his term ended, something Svante pledged not to do before his election to the same post.
The first successful bid was Cornell student Josh Glasstetter’s, who won a spot on Common Council representing the Fourth Ward for the Green Party in 2000. Following Glasstetter’s election, a number of students have followed suit in serving on the Common Council. Glasstetter, however, resigned before his term ended, something Svante pledged not to do before his election to the same post.
Svante’s election means he will become the youngest mayor in Ithaca history when he takes office in January. However, he is not the youngest mayor to be elected in U.S. history, and college towns have occasionally produced student mayors. In fact, just two years ago the city of Glenville, West Virginia elected 21-year old Tashua Allman to be its mayor, who graduated Glenville State College only one month earlier. In fact, he list of young mayors seems virtually endless: In 2006, Luke Ravenstahl became mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; in 2008, 22-year old Nick Bozarth took control of Napavine, Washington; and in 2008 Muskogee, Oklahoma elected John Tyler Hammons, a 19-year old University of Oklahoma freshman, its mayor. Some even see this wave as a “takeover.”
Statistics on Youth in Electoral Politics
Many credit Barack Obama’s victory in the 2008 presidential race to his appeal to youth voters. Time Magazine reports: “kids preferred Obama over the next-closest competitor by more than 4 to 1. The youngest slice — the under-25 set, typically among the most elusive voters in all of politics — gave Obama a net gain of some 17,000 votes. He won by just under 20,000.” Likewise, MSNBC called the campaign’s appeal to young people as “key.” In fact, according to Voter Update, “voter turnout in 2008 was its highest amongst young people since 1992, with roughly 23 million young adults casting a ballot.”
This national issue played out on a local level during Myrick’s successful mayoral campaign, with his competitors charging him with appealing directly to the youth vote and what they considered to be temporary residents of Ithaca. Myrick’s campaign team maintained that everyone deserved a voice. However, despite an outpouring of youth support, the campaign was disappointed by the youth vote: in Ithaca’s Fourth Ward, comprised primarily of students, only 121 voters cast a ballot. While Myrick gobbled up 85 of those votes, it was not the massive swing some anticipated.
This national issue played out on a local level during Myrick’s successful mayoral campaign, with his competitors charging him with appealing directly to the youth vote and what they considered to be temporary residents of Ithaca. Myrick’s campaign team maintained that everyone deserved a voice. However, despite an outpouring of youth support, the campaign was disappointed by the youth vote: in Ithaca’s Fourth Ward, comprised primarily of students, only 121 voters cast a ballot. While Myrick gobbled up 85 of those votes, it was not the massive swing some anticipated.
Information on Young Mayors in U.S. College Towns
Svante’s election means he will become the youngest mayor in Ithaca history when he takes office in January. However, he is not the youngest mayor to be elected in U.S. history, and college towns have occasionally produced student mayors. In fact, just two years ago the city of Glenville, West Virginia elected 21-year old Tashua Allman to be its mayor, who graduated Glenville State College only one month earlier. In fact, he list of young mayors seems virtually endless: In 2006, Luke Ravenstahl became mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; in 2008, 22-year old Nick Bozarth took control of Napavine, Washington; and in 2008 Muskogee, Oklahoma elected John Tyler Hammons, a 19-year old University of Oklahoma freshman, its mayor. Some even see this wave as a “takeover.”