From the perspective of a casual observer, John Tyler Hammons might have seemed like the underdog. That is, until he cleaned the floor with the three-term incumbent Hershel Ray McBride and walked away with 70 percent of the vote in the mayoral elections in Muskogee, a city of 38,000 in the northeastern part of Oklahoma. The key to Hammons win seems to be his platform of opening up government to the people and keeping citizens more informed.

Not too bad for a frosh.

Hammons is currently enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, and says he plans to stay in school, though he will likely transfer to one closer to his new district.

Holding such a powerful public office is obviously a huge responsibility for a teenager -- but Hammons is hardly the first. In 2005, three 18-year-old mayors were elected on the same day: Christopher Seeley of Linesville, Pennsylvania (now a student at Allegheny College), Michael Sessions of Hillsdale Michigan (a student at Hillsdale College) and Sam Juhl of Roland, Iowa (who plans to study history when he does go to college).

There have been only a handful more mayors under the age of 25 over the last 100 years, so this recent uptick stands out. But what about this other pattern...? They're all guys! Come on, ladies, we really need some more estrogen up in these city governments.