You do not need to do the entire review queue yourself!  Even if someday you are miraculously elected moderator!

If the initial close votes were cast in error, it would be another story, but I'm not sure this pattern actually prevents anything from being done, and it's work that needs doing.

I hope that noob is also going through the close vote review queue on at least as regular a basis as he trolls for old bad questions.

It's too bad that some votes are ageing off.  Perhaps we need moderator help to slam some things shut.