Alexa Scholl, a political science junior, was elected to the Prescott City Council Tuesday night. She is the youngest council member ever elected in the city of Prescott — and of the three councilmembers who were elected, she won the largest share of the votes.
“I’m mostly just, you know, incredibly humble that so many voters in Prescott would instill their faith and their vote in me, and I’m excited to serve on council,” Scholl said.
She will be sworn in on Nov. 28, along with three other council members. She said she will attend last few council meetings before she is sworn in so she can learn more about the council's procedures.
“I’m transitioning out of this campaigning phase into an actual position so I am excited,” Scholl said. “I actually really enjoyed most of what the campaign entailed. You know, it was a lot of just being out in the community and going to events and really getting a pulse on what the community is looking for.”
Scholl said this journey was very exciting and a great learning experience. She said that, through her campaign, she hopes to inspire young people to run for public office and teach them that they can be a part of politics, even as a student.
Paul Katan, one of Scholl’s advisors and programs director at the Prescott Unified School District and a 2011 ASU alumnus, was excited that Scholl ran a successful campaign.
“Here’s a young person, who is obviously very smart and is from here, so they have a vested interest in the community, and no apparent political agenda,” Katan said. “Someone who genuinely seems interested in giving her time and energy to the community without having a political agenda.”
He said that people are excited about the election because Prescott has never had anyone so young on the city council.
“I think she will bring to the office the perspective of somebody who is young, looking forward to a career, looking forward to making her own home, and possibly her own family here in this town,” Katan said.
Steve Blair, an ASU alumnus and Prescott native, has served on the council for 17 years and was re-elected last night with Scholl. He said that a young perspective such as Scholl’s is a positive thing, but she has some learning to do.
“I absolutely look forward to working with her as I was elected last night, and we will move this community forward and do the right thing,” Blair said.
Reach the reporter at cgiulia@asu.edu or follow @tinamaria_4 on Twitter.
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