21-Year-Old Says He Has What It Takes To Be A City Councilman

21-YEAR-OLD SAYS HE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A CITY COUNCILMAN
By Sarah Dallof

KSL-TV
Sept 1 2011
Salt Lake City, Utah

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The race for city council in a growing Utah city
is heating up, with 10 candidates vying for just three seats.

But that’s not the unusual part. It’s the age of one Saratoga Springs
candidate, in particular, that is grabbing voters’ attention.

“If I stepped in today, I would look into all the fines and ordinances
to see which are too restrictive,” Ryan Peltekian said Wednesday.

Peltekian is just 21 years old, but there are many voters interested
in his campaign for city councilman. “Especially elderly people,
they really, really find it awesome a 21-year-old is interested in
running for city office,” he said.

The small business owner is running the campaign from his parents’
house, where he lives. He cites the Founding Fathers as his political
inspiration and Herriman Rep. Carl Wimmer as a local politico he
admires.

The Peltekian family has been campaigning to get a judge removed. Now,
Peltekain says his political aspirations center around rallying for
the citizens.

“I have the energy to set the city straight, cut the spending, and
help the people,” he said.

Peltekian joins a list of nine other candidates vying for three
seats on the council. Bud Poduska is the only incumbent. With years
of experience behind him, he says he’s ready for another term.

“Saratoga Springs, when we first moved out here 10 years ago, was
four stop signs at the crossroads; and now we have more than 19,000
people,” Poduska said.

It’s a sampling of a unique political demographic – one that gives
voters a lot of choices, and a lot of decisions.

“I think it’s great so many people are here and willing to make a
difference,” said Maelynn Marshall, a resident of Saratoga Springs.

“I want somebody who has a family, who knows the ups and downs of
the economy,” said Jeff Grover, also a Saratoga Springs resident. The
candidate pool narrows down Sept.13 during the primary election.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress