GLENDALE–Elen Asatryan was elected to the Glendale City Council, finishing second in a field of eight candidates and becoming the city’s first immigrant, first Armenian-American and youngest woman to be elected to the council. She will take her oath of office on Tuesday, July 12 at 8 p.m. inside the Glendale City Hall Council Chambers.
Asatryan, 39, received 13,165 votes, surpassing by a wide margin former mayors Ara Najarian and Vrej Agajanian and broke historic record in Glendale by garnering more votes than the two incumbents as a newcomer in a race with no open seats.
“From south to north and east to west, Glendalians opened their homes, small businesses, and hearts because we share the same vision and hope for the future of our Jewel City. I am grateful for your faith and trust in me to be your voice in city hall and for the tremendous outpouring of support,” said Asatryan. “It is an honor to have earned a seat that will allow me to represent the wonderful mosaic of people that make up Glendale.”
“We’re writing a new story for Glendale — powered by courage and empathy. We’ll continue working together to build a city that works for all of us and a city hall that is truly the house of the people. Our residents and small businesses will receive the support they need and deserve, as we proactively tackle our many challenges. I look forward to building bridges and working towards making Glendale a model city to live, work and play in,” added Asatryan.
Asatryan ran a true grassroots campaign, distinguishing herself by hosting more public events than all other city council campaigns combined and earning endorsements from a long list of organizations, elected officials and community leaders. Her campaign galvanized the largest number of donors and raised the most money of all the candidates in the field, while rejecting money from PACs or special interest groups.
Asataryan’s passion for the issues and refusal to participate in negative campaigning inspired a diverse group of Glendale residents to get out and vote during a low-turnout election.
“We proved that people power always prevails in the end, and there is no substitute for honest and authentic campaigning. We unapologetically stayed true to ourselves, stood firmly by our values and our principles, and never resorted to petty politics and destructive tactics despite the hurricane of negativity we braved,” Asatryan said. “I’m very proud of the positive and sincere campaign we ran and very grateful to all who made our collective victory possible. I would also like to thank all the candidates who had the courage to step forward and bring their ideas to the table.”
Asatryan’s priorities for Glendale include: establishing a proactive city hall culture; smart development that incorporates green spaces, affordable housing, sustainability, the arts, and walkable and safe streets; small business recovery & support; overhaul of inefficient & costly permitting processes; promoting dynamic arts, music, & culture; a youth voice on commissions; Citizen’s Ethics Commission; community outreach that engages ALL residents and a workforce that is reflective of the diverse communities it serves.
“There shouldn’t be so many firsts in 2022. I hope this win inspires and shows women and little girls that they have a place in government and politics. I am committed to doing my part to help pave the way,” Asatryan added.
Born in Armenia, Asatryan moved to Glendale with her family at the age of 10 and attended Columbus Elementary, Toll Middle, and Herbert Hoover High schools. She brings to the council over two decades of service to the Glendale community and beyond, and her professional background in policy, advocacy, and public affairs.