20 Year Old to Run for Mayor of Jeffersonville

What were you doing when you were 20 years old? Chances are you probably weren't running for mayor of a city of 30,000 people.

Admittedly, seeking the GOP mayoral nod in Jeff isn't exactly a sure thing. Assuming a primary win (GOP primaries in Clark County are rare, it must be said), the city is heavily Democratic and hasn't had a Republican mayor since 1991 (and the last Republican mayor before him was in 1951).

The Courier-Journal article:

Matthew Owen, a sophomore at Indiana University Southeast, has declared his candidacy in the Republican Primary for Mayor of Jeffersonville.

“Since early in high school I’ve been wanting to go into some kind of public service,” said Owen, who is 20 and a political science major.

Around Thanksgiving, Owen said, he started thinking about running for the Jeffersonville City Council, whose operations he observed for about two years as videographer for Jeffersonville High School’s cable television station, which broadcasts council meetings.

Ultimately, Owen said, he decided to run for mayor because he believes he can do more for the community in that position.

“I really think our city needs a fresh way to look at how to do things,” Owen said. In his view, Owen said, the current approach to governance “is tax and spend, tax and spend.”

That includes a tripling in sewer rates over five years that was approved by the city council in late 2009.

He also believes communication between city government and the public can be much better, Owen said.

To prepare for his campaign, said Owen, who also is an officer of the IUS student senate, he has cut his class hours to 12 from last semester’s 15 and his work hours from up to 60 for the United Parcel Service and the Adrienne & Co. bakery and café in Jeffersonville to about 30 for Adrienne.

John Montgomery, who was a member of the Clark County Board of Elections for about 20 years, said he believes someone about Owen’s age talked about running for Mayor of Jeffersonville in the 1960’s, but he doesn’t remember if he ran.

For at least the last 40 years, Montgomery said, he doesn’t believe anyone Owen’s age has run for mayor.

Jamey Noel, Chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, said he’s thrilled Owen is running.

“Matt’s bringing youth and the energy that comes with it” to the party, Noel said. He believes several older Republicans also are considering the race, Noel said.