Teen running for county office

Adrienne Packer

Thursday, July 11, 2002 | 11:11 a.m.

While many teenagers spend summers dunking fries at fast-food restaurants, Anna Kjorvestad is eyeing a gig that pays a cool $72,000 a year.

Kjorvestad, a 17-year-old senior at Silverado High School, says she is confident she'd be able to handle the estates of deceased residents if voters elect her as the youngest candidate for public administrator.

"I want to get into politics," she said. "I like making people feel better; I like working with people, I have social skills."

Kjorvestad isn't easy to reach, but it's not because she's busy crafting her platform, attending Independent American Party events or walking door-to-door meeting potential constituents.

She's in summer school brushing up on U.S. government.

"I don't have any posters out yet," Kjorvestad said. "But I've been talking to random people at the grocery store. I talk to people at school and when school's out.

"When I ask people if they're registered to vote, they ask if my mom's running for office. (Then) they're shocked and kind of stare at me for awhile."

Clark County keeps no record of candidates' ages but Kjorvestad is believed to be the youngest candidate to run in county history. She is the youngest to vie for office in the upcoming election. County election officials said the only requirement for public administrator is that the candidate be 18 on Election Day. Kjorvestad, who turns 18 on Aug. 16, is one of a dozen candidates who have filed for that office.

In May Clark County Manager Thom Reilly shifted oversight of the public guardian from the public administrator's office to administration, partially because of the uncertainty of the outcome of the upcoming election.

The public guardian is legally vested with the power to take care of individuals and their property.

Jared Shafer, who is leaving the office after 23 years, applauded Kjorvestad for delving into politics at such a young age, but has concerns about whether she understands the scope of the office.

"I think there are some misunderstandings about the kind of job it is and the kind of experience you need," Shafer said. "You need a full range of accounting services, real estate, veterans services, social services, Medicaid, Medicare and you have to understand how to deal with deceased spouses and children."

Although Kjorvestad is eager to get into politics, she doesn't deny that earning $72,000 a year sounds a lot better than the minimum wage job most of her peers might hold.

"I could probably figure out something to do with the money," she said.