Bryce Carter

| Sharla Bardin

sharla.bardin@roanoke.com, 381-1669

A supermajority of Blacksburg Town Council seats will be up for grabs during the town's first November election this fall, and a Virginia Tech student is the first newcomer to formally announce plans to campaign for one of them.

Bryce Carter, 20, said he wants to work to help college students become more invested in the community while also working with residents and town leaders to promote smart development and alternative transportation.

"I see so much potential here for us going in the right direction," said Carter, a junior at Virginia Tech.

He announced his candidacy Friday at Tech's Squires Student Center and said he plans to file his paperwork with Montgomery County within the next week or two.

No one has officially filed for a town council seat, Randy Wertz, general registrar with Montgomery County, said Friday.

The town council elections will occur in November, and the mayor's position, along with four seats on the council, are on the ballot.

Last year, the council voted to change elections from May to November of odd-numbered years in hopes of boosting turnout significantly. The highest town election turnout on record in the past 15 years is 22 percent. November county elections often bring out twice that percentage of voters, or more.

Carter said his goal, if elected, is to help get students more involved in the town since they make up a significant portion of the population. His plans are to form a student advisory committee that can discuss some of the issues and opportunities facing the town.

"I can hear what students think about how Blacksburg is developing."

Carter also wants to promote environmental friendly initiatives, sustainability and alternative transportation, such as adding more bike lanes to the town's roads.

Carter has been involved with environmental issues through the Environmental Coalition at Virginia Tech for three years. He also is majoring in humanities, science and environment with a minor in environmental policy and planning.

Through that work, Carter said he has learned more about politics and environmental issues and how to listen to perspectives and find solutions.

Communication also is a key issue for him. If elected, one of his objectives would be to create more user interaction on the town's Web site by having a forum where residents could submit ideas. He also would like to see a weekly community newsletter sent out to anyone who is interested about issues being discussed in the town.

Carter, a native of Fairfax County, said he has lived in Blacksburg for three years and has fallen in love with the town. He not only wants to represent students, but also wants to respond to the needs of other residents.

"I'm here to listen to what issues you have in this community and I want to connect this community and find every opportunity possible to do just that."