Earle in Arkansas has elected the youngest-ever Black mayor anywhere in the United States, The Hill reported. Jaylen Smith, aged 18, will be the next mayor of the small city of Earle with a population of 1,785.
“You have to start somewhere, you really do,” Jaylen Smith, who graduated from Earle high school last summer after three years as Student Government Association president.
“I didn’t want to be 30 or 40 and become a mayor when I could be one right now.”
While not the first 18-year-old to become an elected mayor – an honor that fell to Michael Sessions in Hillsdale, Michigan, in 2005 – Smith is the youngest Black candidate to achieve the feat.
Smith received 218 votes while his opponent, Nemi Matthews Sr., won 139. Matthews served as a street superintendent for 30 years.
Smith said he decided to run for mayor at the start of his senior year, with the encouragement of his fellow student government association members. He said he fully understands the historic significance of his win.
“It feels awesome. Generations and generations of people will read about this historical moment,” he said.
As mayor-elect, Smith said he plans to focus on transportation, public safety, and bringing a major grocery store to the city. Increasing residents’ access to food sources is a cause Smith said he’s especially passionate about.
The young politician said the win is extremely significant to him as a person diagnosed with a learning disability. Smith said his disability makes it hard for him to do well on standardized tests. “This disability does not take away from what I am able to do,” Smith said. “In fact, it motivates me more to achieve greatness.”
It comes as analysts and experts say that younger generations have finally turned young voters into political power.
Today’s Gen Z can fuse movement activism with voting in a way that has not happened in the past, experts said.
It was not the only young politician in the news this week. Congressman-elect Maxwell Frost became the first Gen Z member of Congress. He won in Florida’s 10th Congressional District.
The 25-year-old’s victory marks a pivotal moment for progressive activists who came of voting age over the last decade and found their political voice in response to divisive issues including gun violence.
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