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MyUterusWillExplode t1_ize2dy4 wrote

>Meet the 18-year-old who just became the youngest Black mayor in the country

The wording implies theres an even younger white mayor somewhere.

How the fuck do you get to become mayor at that age? Don;t you need some proper education and qualifications to become mayor in America?

Here I am in the UK, sitting here with two fucking degrees and still my salary sucks ass. This guy will be earning more than me by the time he's 20.

Im jelly.

Good for him, but if you guys dont mind, Im now considering moving to the US. Im sure there must be a town somewhere that needs me to run it.

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Sixtyoneandfortynine t1_izedpr0 wrote

It might make you feel better to know that mayors, especially in small towns, generally have rather low salaries and often work at second, “normal” jobs in addition to their mayoral duties. In fact, the shift manager at the local burger joint likely out-earns the mayor in a town like that.

Also, the scope of a mayor’s job duties can vary a great deal between cities. In some cities the mayor is more of a figurehead, with minimal authority above and beyond a city/town council member.

I have been through Earle (about 25mi/40km west of Memphis) and it makes sense that they would elect an 18 year-old. Like many towns in that part of AR they appeared to be economically struggling, and it seems the citizens have chosen to go with someone young, ambitious, and (likely) idealistic for a change. I would NOT underestimate them.

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Nukegm426 t1_ize6vtw wrote

Most places you can elect anyone for most offices. There are places that have elected cats or dogs into office which makes no sense. Personally think the only issue is his age, but if he’s one of the rare people that are super mature at a young age then why not.

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colin8651 t1_izenq3o wrote

I mean, some places have elected animals to office.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-human_electoral_candidates#Elected_to_office

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WikiSummarizerBot t1_izenrpm wrote

Non-human electoral candidates

Elected to office

>In 1922, Ioiô ("Yo-yo"), a billy goat, was elected city councilor of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. in 1938 Kenneth Simmons entered Boston Curtis, a brown mule, as a candidate for a Republican precinct seat in Milton, Washington, in 1938, winning 51 to zero. Simmons stated that he had done this to demonstrate that many people vote without considering who they are actually voting for. In 1967, an Ecuadorian foot powder company advertised its product, Pulvapies, as a mayoral candidate in the town of Picoazá.

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Big_Forever5759 t1_izeom2c wrote

Yep, would be nice to have mandatory exams that would determine if someone can run any government office. The more people they govern over, the harder it is. It would weed out a lot of nut jobs.

But the laws are still from early times when most didn’t read or write.

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