Election 2002: At 19, Relos Ready to Serve
By Anthony Gadson
Pilot News
PLYMOUTH � Of all of the Republican winners on Election Day one that might stand out in the election � because of her age � is 19-year-old Mindy Relos.
Relos will become the new Center Township Assessor on Jan. 1. Relos will take over from the retiring Carolyn Strycker.
Relos is the youngest person to ever be elected to office in Marshall County.
She believes her experience will make up for her youth.
�I�ve been working in the Assessor�s Office for a year and a half, so I am more than qualified,� Relos said.
Relos is a 2001 graduate of Plymouth High School and is enrolled at Ancilla College as a Business major. So, between time at the assessor�s office and school, Relos�s plate is pretty full, but education is important to her.
�You always have to have a backup plan,� Relos said about her goal for a business degree. �You never know when something is going to happen.�
Election Day was both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking for Relos. After all, her main job for the next four years life hinged on a single ballot total.
�I�m only 19, so it�s kind of scary when you�re already going to be planning the next four years on one night,� Relos said about her nerves that night.
Relos received all sorts of support from other candidates during the election, support that she was very thankful to receive.
�I had no idea I would get the support that I got,� Relos explained. �They really took me under their wings and it really helped me.�
Relos realized she did need the help because of all the work that goes into running a campaign. An outsider may think that, once nominated by a political party, a candidate can just sit back, but Relos found out that hard work was needed to succeed at election time.
�I started going to the fairs in July in August,� Relos explained about her journey towards the office. �(The campaigning) really started in September, when my fianc� and I were knocking on doors and stuffing paper boxes.�
Relos didn�t need to run during the primaries, but got support to run for the office from her boss, county assessor Mike Boys, and Stryker.
�Carolyn was going to have to be the person to train the new assessor, so since I already knew her it would be easier for her to train me,� Relos explained about the reason Stryker invited her to run.
Relos�s campaigning all paid of on election day when she able to defeat Democrat Shirley Patten � another coworker � by 847 votes and become the new assessor of Center Township. The victory was not a total shock to Relos.
�I was hoping to get it, so it was really nice when I did get it, but I was also thankful that it was over,� she said.
|
|
| Community Calendar |
|
No events listed.
|
|
Interactive Calendar
|
