At 21, Kinston city councilman youngest elected official in NC history
Chris Suggs, who is 21, has made history as the youngest person to ever win a city election in North Carolina history.
WITN reports Suggs on Tuesday secured one of two seats up for grabs on Kinston's City Council.
Suggs gathered 2,429 votes, while incumbent Robert Swinson remained on the council with 2,132 votes. Suggs will replace his mother, Kristal Suggs, who decided not to seek a second four-year term.
Suggs said he’s grateful and excited for the opportunity to serve and be a voice for his generation, posting on Twitter: "Not only did I win this election … I did it at 21-years-old, when people called me 'too young' or 'unqualified.' I outperformed a candidate who has been on our city council for 16 years. I did it with little money and a small team … but we made history happen!"
"It's been such an exciting moment," Suggs said in a Wednesday interview with WRAL News, adding that he was up all night responding to emails and well wishes.
"I hope this opens the doors for more young people like myself to get involved in politics," he said. "I don't want to be the only one."
At 14, Suggs launched Kinston Teens, Inc., a nonprofit aimed at involving young people in the community —everything from adopting streets to holding town halls.
When he was a 16-year-old attending Kinston High School, Suggs gained national praise from leaders in Washington, D.C., as the youngest person in history to be recognized with the community leadership award from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Suggs earned degrees in political science and religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before returning home to Kinston.
He said the city is in need of a police chief and a city manager, and one of his first priorities will be to help elect great leaders.
"We really need strong and strategic leadership in our city, and I can't wait to be a part of making that happen," he said.
Suggs will be sworn into office Dec. 9.
