History was made on Tuesday, December 7, as an 18-year-old college student in the state of Arkansas identified as Jaylen Smith became the youngest black mayor to be elected in the United States of America (USA).
Jaylen Smith just left high school in May. On Tuesday, he was voted in to lead the rural town of Earle, 30 miles (48km) west of Memphis, Tennessee.
He’s not the first 18-year-old mayor in US history, but that hasn’t stopped his family from celebrating the major win.
In 2005, 18-year-old Michael Sessions won a race to be mayor of the town of Hillsdale, Michigan – before he had even completed high school.
“I didn’t run to make a name for myself,” excited Smith told CNN on Wednesday.
“I ran because I wanted to help my community and move my community in the direction that it needed to be moved in.”
Smith had 218 votes to defeat his closest rival Matthews who garnered 139 votes, according to election results.