18-year-old becomes mayor in a small American town

According to broadcaster CNN, Smith, who only graduated in May from the local high school where he was on the student council, defeated his opponent by 235 votes to 185 in the second round. The 18-year-old says his involvement with the student council inspired him to run.

Youngest black mayor in the United States
According to Frank Scott Jr., the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas, whose advice Smith sought in preparing for mayor, Smith will become the youngest black mayor ever elected to office in the United States.

“I am thrilled for Jaylen and the entire Earle community as he becomes the youngest African-American mayor. I am proud of his willingness to enter public service at such a young age and of his ambitious goals for the city,” Scott, who is also president of the African American Mayors Association, told CNN.

Wants to make the city more attractive to young people
While Smith is young, he has a pretty clear vision of what he wants to bring to his hometown of Earle. Even though he knows it won’t happen overnight like he says. He wants to make the city, whose population has declined sharply in recent decades due to emigration, more attractive to young people by creating new jobs, among other things.

He knows some voters won’t take him seriously, says the ambitious young man, who has consulted several Arkansas mayors to prepare for his role. His ultimate goal is “to convince the people of Earle with results,” Smith said.