Yoncalla teen mayor: People can serve no matter their age
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The teenage mayor-elect of a small Oregon city says he will be a steward for the budget and a proponent for growth.
The Oregonian reports voters in Yoncalla last week elected 18-year-old Ben Simons to be mayor.
The 2018 high school graduate and current student at Umpqua Community College beat out two other contenders with 41 percent of the vote.
Yoncalla is a city of just more than 1,000 people about 44 miles south of Eugene.
Simons has lived in Yoncalla all his life.
He says his experience and familiarity helped him win the election. He was the high valedictorian and class president for two years. He also serves as a volunteer firefighter.
He says people can be involved in government no matter what their age.
