This Gen Zer just won election in Arizona—he’ll oversee 600 employees and a $65 million budget while living at home: ‘I’m not just any 19-year-old’

Sebastian Matta, a 19-year-old sophomore at Arizona State University, is set to become the clerk of Maricopa County Superior Court, a role overseeing over 600 employees and a $65 million budget. The election victory saw Matta receiving about 54% of the votes in last week's election, defeating Republican opponent Jeff Dial. Matta, a Democrat, had not faced a candidate for the position since 2018 and decided to run after studying philosophy, law, and politics in college.

Despite his age, Matta plans to maintain a part-time college degree online and continue living with his parents. The job comes with significant responsibility, as Maricopa County has been a focal point of election-fraud allegations since the 2020 presidential election. However, Chris DeRose, a former Republican clerk, believes Matta's young age could be an advantage.

Matta, who hopes more Gen Z individuals will run for office, aims to build trust with his staff and colleagues before making any major changes.