World

Oklahoma 19-year-old named town's mayor

by poolparty | May 14, 2008 at 09:22 am

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A 19-year-old freshman Sooner was elected mayor of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Muskogee has a population of just over 38,000. Even though only 19, John Tyler Hammons is not the youngest to ever be elected mayor in the US. There are a handful of 18-year-olds that have been elected throughout the US over the years. To see a list of the youngest mayors in the United States please click here

A 19-year-old freshman at the University of Oklahoma was elected mayor Tuesday of Muskogee, a city of 38,000 in the northeastern part of the state.

John Tyler Hammons will be sworn in next week as mayor of Muskogee, Oklahoma.

With all precincts reporting, John Tyler Hammons won with 70 percent of the vote over former Mayor Hershel Ray McBride, said Muskogee County Election Board Secretary Bill Bull.

"The public placing their trust in me is the greatest, humbling and most awesome experience I've ever had in my life," said Hammons, who is from Muskogee but attends the university in Norman.

The two candidates squared off in a runoff election for the nonpartisan post after neither secured 50 percent of the vote in a six-person election April 1.

Hammons, who will be sworn in next week, said he plans to continue his college education but expects to transfer to a school closer to Muskogee.

"Being elected does not change my desire to continue my education," he said. "We will schedule our time in an appropriate fashion so that I can be mayor and stay in school."

Hammons replaces Wren Stratton, who decided not to seek re-election after one term.