Wetumpka resident voted governor of Alabama Girls State

TROY, Ala. -- A campaign platform that called for tougher penalties for drunken drivers and increased funding for higher education helped Wetumpka resident Christy Gantt win election Thursday as governor of the 2000 session of Alabama Girls State, which is taking place this week at

Election of a governor and other statewide constitutional officers is the high point of the weeklong Girls State, which is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and uses a mock legislature format to teach young women about civics and citizenship. This year marks the first time in recent history that Girls State has been held outside of Montgomery.

TSU is only the second school to play host to the event. Gantt, 16, said she began her campaign for governor on June 4, the day the 2000 session of Girls State began.
"I tried to meet as many people as possible right away," she said. "I'm just ecstatic -- it's such a great privilege and opportunity to represent these girls. They all have so much passion about issues facing the state of Alabama."

Gantt said she built her campaign platform around four issues: tougher penalties for first-time DUI offenders; increased funding for higher education; reform of Alabama's tax code and State Constitution; and higher anti-pollution and environmental standards. She gave stump speeches, answered questions and gave a final campaign address before the 330 Girls State participants.

As governor, Gantt will represent Alabama Girls State at a number of  statewide youth conferences and leadership summits over the next year. A rising senior at Wetumpka High School, she is the president of the Government Club, Key Club and Student Council and is a member of the National Honor Society and varsity softball team. She is the daughter of Steve and Ann Gantt.

Other statewide officers elected Thursday include Alyson McFee of  Hartselle, lieutenant governor; Desiree Graves of Tuscaloosa, attorney general; Shenorya Womack of Pittsview, Supreme Court chief justice; Kala Hancock of Trussville, secretary of state; Jessica Smith of Brantley, state treasurer; Adrienne Caples of Pinson, state auditor; and Macy Ware of Valley, commissioner of agriculture.