Hannah Stauts
At the age of 22, Hannah Stauts is currently Idaho’s youngest mayor and the youngest female mayor in the United States. In the small, rugged mountain town of Stanley, Idaho, Stauts has found her responsibilities to be just as demanding as those of a larger city. Among her duties, she presides over City Council meetings, handles the city’s budget, manages its employees and carries the title of police commissioner.
Born and raised in Boise, Idaho, Stauts’ introduction to public service began at the age of 16, when the Boise mayor appointed her as the youth commissioner to the City’s Arts Commission.
Stauts attended Boise State University to pursue a degree in political science, emphasizing in American national government and public policy. During her years in college, Stauts became active in club sports, participating and holding officer positions with both the ski racing and women’s lacrosse teams. During her summers in college, Stauts worked on a Forest Service fire crew in the wilderness surrounding Stanley, where the splendor and abundance of outdoor recreation quickly found a place near to her heart.
After graduating from BSU in 2005, Stauts made Stanley her new home. A few months later she began campaigning for office, and in November of 2005, became Stanley’s mayor-elect.