CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The youngest female mayor in West Virginia history was elected last week in Glenville -- by 1 vote. 

Tashua Allman, a Parkersburg native and a 2009 graduate of Glenville State College, was narrowly elected in the Gilmer County seat as a write-in after beating out two other candidates, one of whom previously had been mayor of Glenville.

"I didn't honestly expect to win. I just wanted the experience and to get my name out there," the 21-year-old said. "I slipped through the cracks. I worked hard, but I think I had a little luck. I only won by 1 [vote]."

She beat out her competitor, former Mayor Joe Putnam, 56 votes to his 55. The only actual candidate on the ballot, City Council member Lisa Smarr, received 43 votes.

Allman is the youngest woman to be elected mayor in West Virginia and only the ninth woman in state history to be elected mayor.

"I didn't even realize that. I thought there were female mayors everywhere," she said. "But it's really cool that I've made West Virginia history."

The idea to run for mayor seemed like a joke to Allman's friends and family, but they were all supportive of her dream to run for office.

She served two years as student body president at Glenville State before running for public office.

"I first thought, well, why not? I don't have anything to lose," she said.

She thought about it for a few weeks but eventually waited too long to make up her mind and had to run as a write-in candidate.

To gather support for her campaign, Allman created a Web site full of information about her ideas to improve the small town. She also had a contact page where people could submit questions to her directly to get to know her better, since she was a newcomer.

"I'm not from here. I'm a real outsider," she said, "but it doesn't matter where you are from. It matters where you're at."

 The Web site enabled people to get a feel for what Allman is all about and her ideas to improve the community.

"I think that really helped," she said. "If I hadn't had the Web site, I don't think I could have won."

Tashua Allman, a Parkersburg native and a 2009 graduate of Glenville State College, was narrowly elected in the Gilmer County seat as a write-in after beating out two other candidates, one of whom previously had been mayor of Glenville.

"I didn't honestly expect to win. I just wanted the experience and to get my name out there," the 21-year-old said. "I slipped through the cracks. I worked hard, but I think I had a little luck. I only won by 1 [vote]."

She beat out her competitor, former Mayor Joe Putnam, 56 votes to his 55. The only actual candidate on the ballot, City Council member Lisa Smarr, received 43 votes.

Allman is the youngest woman to be elected mayor in West Virginia and only the ninth woman in state history to be elected mayor.

"I didn't even realize that. I thought there were female mayors everywhere," she said. "But it's really cool that I've made West Virginia history."

The idea to run for mayor seemed like a joke to Allman's friends and family, but they were all supportive of her dream to run for office.

She served two years as student body president at Glenville State before running for public office.

"I first thought, well, why not? I don't have anything to lose," she said.

She thought about it for a few weeks but eventually waited too long to make up her mind and had to run as a write-in candidate.

To gather support for her campaign, Allman created a Web site full of information about her ideas to improve the small town. She also had a contact page where people could submit questions to her directly to get to know her better, since she was a newcomer.

"I'm not from here. I'm a real outsider," she said, "but it doesn't matter where you are from. It matters where you're at."

 The Web site enabled people to get a feel for what Allman is all about and her ideas to improve the community.

"I think that really helped," she said. "If I hadn't had the Web site, I don't think I could have won."

She also went door to door to introduce herself to citizens, something neither of the other candidates did, she said.

The young mayor will serve a two-year term, making $12,000 a year. She will be sworn into office between June 15 and July 1, along with many of her new colleagues.

Many incumbents were voted out and it's almost a whole new City Council, Allman said.

"The town is pretty shaken up right now. It's pretty cool," she said. "It's like the Obama change idea is trickling down, even to the small towns."

Allman always has considered being a politician, but doesn't know if that is what she wants to do her whole life. 

"I'm not sure [what I'll do]. Ask me in two years, when my first term is over," she joked. "Being in office is always something I've played with, but I really don't know. I have to see where I end up and take this day by day."

While in office, Allman plans to get another job to supplement her income, but so far hasn't had any luck finding something else in the small town.

The history and political science graduate feels blessed to work with and meet some of the friendliest people in the state of West Virginia, she wrote on her site.

"Since moving to Glenville, I have experienced an extraordinary feeling of warmth and belonging," she wrote.

Allman has pledged to help improve the streets and sidewalks of Glenville, improve City Hall, promote jobs and economic development and seeks grants for city improvement projects, according to her campaign site.

In addition, she raised more than $2,000 as part of a Glenville fundraising team and also is a member of the sidewalk revitalization group, whose goal is to replace the sidewalk on the northeast side of Main Street and to widen Main Street by two feet.

Allman expects to experience some hardships on the new job because she is young and doesn't have a lot of political experience, but she is optimistic about being able to improve Glenville.

"I'm sure people will feel weird and make comments that I'm not from here," she said, "but I plan to stay here. I made a choice to live here now. I have no control over where I was born, but I'm here because I choose to be here."

Reach Kathryn Gregory at kathr...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5119.