Being a new mom isn’t enough for 25-year-old Carrie Litherland. She wants to be Tallahassee’s next mayor.
Litherland, a Florida State University graduate, was born in Ohio but raised in Tallahassee. She graduated from FSU in 2016 and hopes to continue on to law school to ultimately become a civil rights and human rights attorney.
She has been working as a full-time legislative consultant for a local law firm since 2016. Litherland assists two lobbyist attorneys. She feels that this job title has prepared her for the role of mayor as she works in every aspect of lawmaking in Florida.
“I help put together policy for them and their clients. I deal with access to court issues, public schools, and higher education. We even have a ‘fun’ client that works with environmental issues. The other lobbyist does elections and ethics so, I am monitoring almost everything during session.
“This will be my third full session to follow and my first election to be a candidate of,” she added. “I have the foundation to get the job [as mayor] done.”
Litherland’s platform for Tallahassee promotes change in the areas of mental health, infrastructure development, transportation, community safety and accountability ethics within the city administration.
Lauren Courtmanche volunteers on Litherland’s campaign team. The 19-year-old from Jupiter, Florida explains why she stands by Litherland’s platform.
“Carrie has a progressive platform. Her father was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, so she really wants to provide affordable services for people with mental health illnesses. Carrie wants to make one simple process for people in crisis. She also wants to make sure they are getting quality care,” said Courtmanche.
“Carrie is huge on the trees because she is huge on keeping Tallahassee original without destroying the greenery. She is really adamant about solar power. She wants to place utilities underground that works with the budget they have. Carrie wants to strengthen the infrastructure when things like hurricanes constantly throw off the power source in Tallahassee.”
Aside from policy, Litherland goes door-to-door to meet voters. This allows her to gain popularity in the race and creates a personable atmosphere in the community about her intentions as a candidate.
Her 9-month-old daughter is a popular topic when people ask about her personal life.
Litherland says being a single mother is tough, but she gets through it with a strong support system.
Suzanne Litherland, her mother, claims she has always been one to support her daughter in her endeavors.
“From 14 to 25 years old, she has always been an ‘I want to save the world’ type of person. She knows what she wants this community to look like. I am proud as a parent because she went from idealistic to realistic. She is also willing to compromise her time even though she feels as if she misses out on time with her own daughter,” said Litherland’s mother.
Carrie Litherland encourages those who would like to help with her campaign to sign up to volunteer or donate on her website and liking her Facebook page:
https://carrie4tally.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Carrie4Tally/