Concord High School senior Caleb Owens, 17, has filed his candidacy for mayor of Elkhart. He is the fourth candidate to seek the mayor’s office in this year’s municipal elections and is running as a Democrat.

Owens, who will turn 18 on April 21, is a member of the Indiana Army National Guard, a minister of music at St. James A.M.E. Church in Elkhart, works at Walgreens and is spokesperson for Concord’s student council. He is also a member of Key Club, the Concord Singers and the Elkhart county branch of the NAACP.

Owens has stated he is running because he believes Elkhart officials have spent too much time and money trying to make the city look good, but have ignored the real problems.

“Elkhart is ‘the city with a heart,’ I understand that,” said Owens. “But people outside of Elkhart, they know Elkhart is where minors get killed. They know Elkhart for meth labs. They know Elkhart as the city without a heart.”

If elected, Owens said he would work with city council, area churches and residents to “revitalize the fun-loving community that was once there.” As for his relatively young age and lack of political experience, he said he doesn’t believe those things matter when it comes to being a strong leader.

So far, Owens will face two-term incumbent Dick Moore in the May primary. There are also two Republican candidates who have filed for Elkhart mayor, Dan Boecher and Tim Neese.

Source: Elkhart Truth