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’

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Sebastian Matta, a college sophomore, beat out a 50-year-old to become clerk of Arizona’s Maricopa County Superior Court—and will earn a $97,000 salary.

Sebastian Matta, a sophomore at Arizona State University, is in many ways like other 19-year-olds. He enjoys following Argentinian soccer, playing Animal Crossing, and watching movies. But he’s also about to become the boss of more than 600 employees and oversee a $65 million budget.

In last week’s elections, Matta rode a wave of Democratic victories to win the position of clerk of Maricopa County Superior Court, the seat of the greater Phoenix area. The job puts him at the intersection of local government and the judicial system in Arizona’s largest county—and the fourth-largest county in the country.

“It’s not about the glory for me,” Matta told The New York Times. “I saw this opportunity, and I believe firmly that I can make a change in my community, and no one else was stepping up.”

Matta won more than 790,000 votes, or about 54% of the electorate, defeating Republican opponent Jeff Dial, who received just over 680,000 votes. Dial, 31 years Matta’s senior, served in the Arizona Legislature from 2010 to 2017 and later worked as a real estate agent.

The job pays a respectable salary of $97,000 a year, but Matta knows his age may raise employees’ eyebrows. He added to the NYT that “I demand respect like anybody else’s boss.” Even so, he plans to take his time before making any major changes.

“The first long while of my tenure will be getting to be friendly with the staff, ensuring them that their jobs are safe,” Matta told local affiliate ABC15. “I mean, I understand that it’s very scary to have a 19-year-old be your boss, but I’m not just any 19-year-old.”

Democrats, Matta said, had not put up a candidate for the clerk’s position since 2018. As someone studying the philosophy of law, politics, and morality—and former high school debate team member—he decided to throw his hat into the ring, without necessarily expecting to pull off such a decisive victory on Election Day.

Unlike members of Congress, who must meet minimum age requirements of 25 for the House and 30 for…

But…

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