A freshman city council member takes office with the slimmest of electoral margins.

By: Eric Wilinski

When he decided to run for city council two years after moving to Rainier, Ryan Roth didn’t think winning his seat would be national news. He just wanted to have a say in how the city of 2,400 is governed—to encourage economic growth while keeping Rainier a small, friendly town and a great place to raise kids.

City of Rainier Councilmember Ryan Roth. Courtesy of Ryan Roth

“I didn’t want to just complain about our problems,” says Roth, a 33-year-old landfill manager and father of four. “I wanted to be part of the solution.”

As in any close race, getting out the vote made all the difference in the outcome. Roth’s opponent relied primarily on his local roots to turn out supporters. Roth, meanwhile, campaigned diligently, printing and distributing yard signs and pamphlets, knocking on doors, and appearing in the annual Rainier Roundup Days parade.

“I knew I had to do more work to generate word-of-mouth support, because a lot of folks didn’t know my name,” says Roth. “Like a lot of things in life, you get out of campaigning what you put into it.”

Roth also made sure to cast a vote for himself, which his opponent chose not to do. As a result, Roth won 247 to 246, by a single vote—something that’s only happened a handful of times in the history of the United States.

The media quickly took notice, with outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, People, and NPR clamoring for interviews and running stories about the race.

“It was crazy,” concludes Roth, reflecting on his 15 minutes of fame. “I wasn’t expecting all the attention. I didn’t do anything special; my opponent just didn’t vote. Which shows how important voting really is!”