Key points: 

• Sebastian Matta is a 19-year-old college student running for clerk of the Maricopa County Superior Court 

• A Democrat, Matta is facing Republican former lawmaker Jeff Dial

• At a time when many young people have become disillusioned with politics, Matta is hoping his candidacy inspires them to get involved

While many college students are still figuring out their majors and what they want to do with their lives, Sebastian Matta has taken on a different challenge: running for public office.

The 19-year-old Arizona State University undergrad has put untold miles on his 2020 Nissan Sentra to campaign and handed out thousands of brochures about his candidacy in his bid to become the next clerk of the Maricopa County Superior Court. 

Matta sees his youth as an asset. His Republican opponent, former state lawmaker Jeff Dial, sees it as a reason to question whether the college sophomore is ready for the job — particularly after Matta filed at least two campaign finance reports late.

Matta’s path to the ballot began with an early interest in the courts. But winning over voters has required him to show he understands the job and its responsibilities.

“I’m passionate about it,” Matta said. “I always thought the job was really cool and I like that it’s an intermediary between you and the courts.” 

Though the clerk position is one of the more obscure ones on the ballot, it comes with significant responsibility. The clerk is the court’s official record keeper and financial officer. They provide public access to court records, receive filings, manage the court docket, and collect and disburse court-ordered fees in one of the nation’s largest counties. 

Clerks serve four-year terms and earn $96,600 a year. 

It’s unclear if Matta would be the youngest person to ever hold the post — the state doesn’t track such things — though Matta believes he is. Either way, he would certainly be among the youngest to hold statewide office.

The average age of elected officials in state legislatures nationwide is 54 in lower chambers and 57 in upper chambers, according to 2024 data from Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute of Politics. In Congress, the median age in the House of Representatives is 57, while the median age in the Senate is 65, according to the Pew Research Center. 

That might explain why young people have become disillusioned with politics. A recent poll from the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School found that just 12% of 18- to 29-year-olds are motivated and ready to participate in the midterm elections. 

Matta, who goes by the nickname “Seb,” said he wants his candidacy to inspire more young people to get involved in politics. 

He grew up in Phoenix and graduated from Thunderbird High School in 2025. As a child, he sometimes accompanied his father, an investigator at a law firm, to the court for work. 

He later joined his school’s debate team, where he became passionate about public speaking and learned to speak to a crowd without notes. 

“I hope history remembers me not as a 19-year-old who was a show candidate or doing this for fun,” he said. “I’m running a serious campaign and doing my best.” 

Questions about readiness

A philosophy major, Matta turned 19 on July 21 — the same day he won the uncontested Democratic primary in the clerk’s race. 

His rival, Dial, is a 50-year-old former state lawmaker who works in real estate. 

Dial questioned whether his opponent is prepared for the job, pointing to the fact that Matta has filed his campaign finance reports late at least twice. 

According to campaign finance records, Matta filed his first-quarter report a week late and his second-quarter report five days late. 

“I’m glad he’s young, and I’m glad he’s getting involved. But maybe it would be better for him if he had more time available,” Dial said. “If he doesn’t have time now to follow the rules, how will he manage the office?” 

Matta said he filed reports late because he’s been busy running his campaign. 

“It’s not because there are campaign finance violations,” Matta said of his late filings. “It’s just that it’s tough to manage everything at once, and I’m not a math wiz.” 

Making the case to voters

During a Wednesday evening campaign event, Matta stood before a crowd of 50 people at a church in Scottsdale. Wearing a fitted suit and a bright red tie, he explained to the audience what a clerk does, talked about his priorities if elected and held up a sample ballot to remind people to vote.

Afterward, Karisa Perrone approached Matta to compliment him on his speech. She said she sees Matta’s youth as an asset.

“I think we need young people to get involved,” Perrone said. “He was articulate. He was intelligent. He has a plan and a vision for what he wants, and he has gumption.” 

If elected, Matta said he wants to expand electronic filing opportunities in probate cases, raise awareness of the clerk’s office and its work, and expand access for non-English speakers. 

Dial has also campaigned on expanding online filing opportunities and educating the public about the clerk’s office, as well as cutting waste and ensuring efficient budgeting. 

Though he fielded a question about how he would manage the job and his studies during the event, Matta said his age doesn’t come up much on the campaign trail. He added that, if elected, he would take a semester off and then resume his studies online.

Regardless of the outcome on Nov. 3, he said he has enjoyed running. 

At most meetings and public appearances, voters have encouraged him. “They give me hugs and say, ‘You’re the future,’” he said.