Newly Formed Office of Mini-Mayor Gives Voice to Local Young Skiers and Riders.
Gabby Noyes, 8, of Silt, Colo., won Sunlight Mountain Resorts inaugural Mini-Mayor election by just 26 votes over incumbent Mini-Mayor Elijah Mattson of New Castle, Colo. Noyes tallied 3,433 votes over Mattsons 3,407 votes. Nearly 10,000 votes were cast in the election.
In all, 14 young powder hounds ran for office. Noyes ran under the platform of getting more kids involved with recycling, gardening, and outside activities. Mini-Mayor Noyes is entitled to a free season pass, standard-issue official Mini-Mayor skis or snowboard, and a seat at Sunlights Executive Table.
Last November, officials at Sunlight appointed four-year old Elijah Mattson of Glenwood Springs as the ski areas first Mini-Mayor after his impassioned plea via social media for Sunlight to open early for the 2015-16 season. Officials at Sunlight said the new office helps give voice to a previously underrepresented but essential segment of young powder hounds.
The office of Mini-Mayor serves a one year term, with a two- term limit, meaning that incumbents can only be reelected once. Only skiers and snowboarders aged 12 and under can hold the office of Mini-Mayor. As part of the election, adult-aged campaign managers assist Mini-Mayor candidates in completing an online profile on the campaign page at bit.ly/minimayor. Candidates are asked to upload photos, videos, and outline what they would do in their first 100 days in office.
Issues that the Mini-Mayor Noyes can impact include stickers, events, and the quality of hamburgers and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Watch for Noyes upcoming keep her constituency updated on breaking news and events by issuing regular press statements via social media throughout the season.
