25-Year-Old Becomes New York State's Youngest Mayor

OSWEGO, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A 25-year-old Republican has the new title of youngest mayor in New York.

Billy Barlow, the mayor of upstate Oswego, who was sworn in Friday, said the community's decision to elect him into office speaks volumes about what city residents want in their leader.

"They're looking for new energy, some ambition in City Hall," he told WCBS 880's Stephanie Colombini. "I think they're looking for changes to be made."

Those changes could include bringing a code-enforcement office into the city to crack down on run-down properties that Barlow says has made Oswego unrecognizable from when he grew up there.

"And that, in turn, will boost quality of life, boost neighborhoods aesthetically, make them more attractive, but also restore some property values," the mayor said.

Barlow served two years on the city's Common Council, a seat he ran for when he returned from college at Arizona State.

Barlow is also encouraging members of the milliennial generation to get involved in politics in their own communities.

He is not the only New York politician making headlines because of age. At age 30, Albany native Elise Stefanik became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress in November 2014.