Sebastian Matta, 19-year-old Arizona State University student, wins Maricopa County court clerk race; Jimmy Kimmel says ‘Boss Baby come to life’

A 19-year-old college student with an interest in video games and 1950s doo-wop music is preparing to take charge of one of Arizona's major public offices after securing an unexpected election victory. Sebastian Matta, 19, won the Maricopa County clerk election and is preparing to manage court records, legal filings and other operations (X@renmusb1)Democrat Sebastian "Seb" Matta has been elected clerk of the Superior Court in Maricopa County, Arizona, defeating 50-year-old Republican former state lawmaker Jeff Dial.

His victory has drawn widespread attention, not least because Matta is still a sophomore at Arizona State University and lives with his parents. The election marks an unusual transition for the teenager, who is now preparing to oversee an office employing more than 600 people while balancing his university education.

The position also comes with an annual salary of approximately $97,000. Matta's win even earned him an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where television host Jimmy Kimmel jokingly described him as "Boss Baby come to life" and compared him to the fictional child doctor Doogie Howser.

Speaking to Newsweek, Matta expressed confidence in his ability to handle the responsibilities ahead. "I'm confident that I can do the duties of the job very well," he said. “I've got a good group of people here preparing me for the job and the office that I'm going to take.

I feel confident that I can do the job well.” Matta's victory came amid a significant political shift in the United States. Democrats secured control of both the House and Senate in Tuesday's elections, defeating Republican candidates across several states.

The results represented a setback for President Donald Trump and his party, with voters expressing frustration over issues including rising living costs and the war involving Iran. Against this broader political backdrop, Matta's victory in Maricopa County became one of the election's more unusual stories.

The young Democrat recalled that even the moment he learned of his opponent's concession was far from conventional. Dial contacted him to concede the race, but the conversation lasted only about 30 seconds. "It was a very brief 30-second phone call while I was eating a bowl at Chipotle," Matta recalled.

Although his election victory has surprised many, Matta's interest in the Maricopa County clerk's office dates back to his childhood. His father, who works as a car crash investigator, would occasionally take him along when visiting the clerk's office to file paperwork related to personal injury cases.

Those early visits gave Matta a glimpse into the institution he would eventually seek to lead. "I had learned about the clerk's office initially because my dad is a car crash investigator, and he would take me to the clerk's office as a part of his duties when he was filing for personal injury cases," he told Newsweek.

When Matta turned 18, he began researching the public offices appearing on the election ballot. The clerk's position caught his attention because of his childhood familiarity with its work. "I saw the clerk's office. I read a lot into it, and I was reminded of my time when I had experience about it.

You know, experience, air quotes, as a kid," he said.