"Why not?" This time it was Wang Lei's turn to be stunned. He suddenly had a crazy idea: Yes, why not?

He is still in school? It doesn't matter, the mayor of Braddock town always works part-time, he can do both.

It doesn’t matter if he is eighteen years old. He remembers that there is an ancient allusion in China, which is about a young man named Ganluo who became prime minister at the age of twelve, which is equivalent to secretary of state. So what’s wrong with him being the mayor of a small town at the age of eighteen?

Braddock is too young, just right for him to accumulate experience and qualifications, which is simply tailor-made for him.

The United States is a country ruled by law. It legally allows citizens over 18 to run for public office. Except for the presidential candidate who needs to be at least 35 years old, there is no limit on the age of the town mayor candidate. As long as he wins the election, he can serve as the town mayor.

"Yes, why not? Haha, Emily, you're right, why not? I decided that I want to participate in the mayor's election, I want to be the mayor, this time I'm serious!" Wang Lei's eyes gradually became more and more energetic. He stood up, waved his hand, as if driving away a bed bug, and swept the damn Hawk into the garbage dump.

The mayor who is eighteen years old and still in school is crazy enough to think about it! But it is also cool.

"Haha, what are you talking about? So happy?" Director Abel walked slowly over with a book in his hand. The old director is 82 years old this year, with white hair and beards. His face always has a kind and gentle smile, which makes people feel warm.

Wang Lei pointed at his nose: "Grandpa Abel, I want to run for mayor, what do you think?"

Director Abel opened his eyes wide and showed a surprised expression: "Oh, Rex, are you going to run for mayor? What a bold idea."

"Of course, every American citizen who is over 18 years old can run for public office." Director Abel said with a smile.

"So, Grandpa Abel, will you vote for me? I need your support." Wang Lei looked at Director Abel with a bright look. He tried to check the presidential book in his mind, and found that Director Abel was not affected by the halo and could not see his specific position.

Grandpa Abel walked to the desk and put the book in his hand on the table: "That's not necessarily. I want to see if your campaign program meets my expectations. If so, I will vote for it."

"Of course, I will definitely listen to everyone's opinions and do my best. If I become the mayor, the first thing I have to do is to find a way to keep the library going. The children need a library, right?" Wang Lei said seriously by his hands on the table, leaning forward with his body.

He does not have a complete campaign program, but he has some general ideas, and has always wanted to realize it through the mayor platform, and he feels that he can make the town better.

Grandpa Abel leaned against the back of the chair and nodded happily: "Well, it's a good idea. If you can prove that you can do this, I will definitely vote for you."

Wang Lei was very happy and leaned forward a little further: "Grandpa Abel, don't worry, I will think of a solution. Then, you will also help me run for the mayor, right? Let more people support me."

Wang Lei was full of expectations. Director Abel is the oldest person in the town and has a strong appeal. If he is willing to help himself, he will greatly increase his popularity among the voters.

"Oh, no, no, if you want to get my help, you have to convince me with your campaign program. Just a library is not possible. You have to tell me how you want to develop Braddock so that the residents here can live and work in peace, have a place to support themselves, and have a place to rely on poverty." Director Abel shook his head, and a cunning look flashed in his eyes.

Wang Lei thoughtfully. He gained some valuable information from Director Abel's words, that is, he must have a complete campaign program. He cannot get votes by relying solely on favors. The voters have their own value judgments.

"Grandpa Abel, don't worry, I will think of a good idea, let you support me and let everyone support me." Wang Lei straightened up, clenched his fist with his right hand, placed it in front of him, and said with confidence.

"Then I'll wait and see." Director Abel nodded and bowed to push the book in front of him towards Wang Lei: "Rex, the mayor is not that easy to be. Maybe you can read more books and learn how to be a qualified mayor."

"Play bowling alone?" Wang Lei took the book and glanced at the title. There was also a subtitle below: "The Defeat and Revival of the American Community".

Wang Lei was a little confused. He didn't understand why Director Abel gave him such a book, was it a good choice or a special choice? He was about to ask, but the old man had already stood up and said with a smile: "Okay, no one will read the book today. Let's all go home. Remember to have a wonderful night!"

Wang Lei had no choice but to put away the questions in his heart, cleaned up with Emily, and prepared to leave.

Despite Braddock's declining nature, the town's appearance was still well maintained, the streets were well maintained, and the sycamore trees on both sides were tall and stout, mostly older than Grandpa Abel. The dense canopy covered the sky and the leaves clattered in the evening breeze.

It has to be said that Hawke and the previous mayors and town councils were able to do their best in their work. If they did not do their best, residents could choose them. Each mayor’s term is only two years, so they could not help but work hard.

Wang Lei rode his bicycle and sent Emily home first, then ran all the way through the wide but few pedestrian streets, and came to the residential area behind the steel mill. His home was here, an old house with two floors, totaling more than 200 square meters.

Such houses are very common in towns, with prices ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 US dollars, but they are priced but have no market value. Few people buy real estate in town, and young people choose to leave and settle in Pittsburgh and other places with more job opportunities.

Edgar Thomson Steel Plant is the only steel plant in Braddock that is still operating. It is affiliated with the American Steel Company, but its output has been reduced to 300 tons per year and can only provide more than one hundred jobs. It is already the largest industrial enterprise in the town.

In addition to steel mills, Braddock's factories are only a handful.

"Mom, I'm back!" Wang Lei threw the car next to the steps at the door, ran into the house with a brisk pace, and ran directly to the restaurant.

There were several steaming plates on the dining table, braised pork ribs, curry chicken nuggets, fish head soup, scrambled eggs with onions, and a stir-fried chicken feather vegetable - this was grown by myself in the vegetable garden behind the house and was difficult to buy on the market.

"Wow, it's such a sumptuous dinner, it's all Chinese delicacies!" Wang Lei rubbed his hands happily, grabbed a piece of rib and threw it into his mouth. The ribs were crisp but not rotten, fat but not greasy. With a gentle touch of his teeth, the meat and bones were completely separated and slid into his stomach along his throat.

This is the tradition of the Wang family. Every weekend, you have to cook a rich Chinese delicacy. You can only eat some simple and easy-to-make Western food, paired with one or two Chinese dishes. Western food also has good flavors, but the variety is far less rich and friendly to Chinese dishes. It is very troublesome to make truly delicious foods.

"Xiao Lei, you're back - go and wash your hands." Mother Hu Shuying walked out of the kitchen, knocked out Wang Lei's dirty hands, and shouted to the inner room: "Jiaming, Hua, Xiao Lei is back, come out for dinner."

Hu Shuying is a math teacher in the primary school in the town and is deeply loved by students. Her father Wang Jiaming is a technician in a steel factory. He is not tall, thin, and a little thin. He wears a pair of black-framed myopic glasses all year round, and looks like an old pedan.

More than 20 years ago, when they first arrived in Braddock, neither of them had any jobs and could only rely on Wang Jiaming as a porter in the steel factory. Hu Shuying worked as a tutor to maintain her life. After several years of hard work, she was stable. She is still rich now, with a house and a car, and her work is stable. She has a son and a daughter, so she doesn’t have to worry about food and clothing.

My daughter, Wang Hua, is three years younger than Wang Lei, and she is in the ninth grade. She is a lively and cute little girl. She smiled and ran down from the stairs: "Brother, are you back? Why didn't you see Sister Emily?"

"Huahua, eat quickly!" Wang Lei turned around and glared at Wang Hua, washed his hands and sat at the dining table, picked up a few chopstick dishes, ate several delicious ribs in a row, drank some fish soup, and paused for a moment, looking up at Chen Kun and Hu Shuying.

"Dad, mom, I have an important thing to announce!" Wang Lei put down his chopsticks and said seriously.

Everyone took a look, and Wang Hua quickly swallowed the dish in his mouth and said vaguely: "What's the matter? Tell me quickly!"

"I want to run for mayor!" Wang Lei said loudly.

"Are you going to run for the mayor? Is this a school or a simulated event organized by the town?" Hu Shuying looked at Wang Lei in surprise. She had not heard of such an event in the near future.

Elementary and middle schools in the United States often conduct similar mock elections, targeting presidents, members of Congress, state government officials, and sometimes mock referendums on major regional events.

The organizers of the event may be schools, local governments and civil organizations. Some national projects have wide popularity and influence, such as "American Student/Parent Mock Election", "Youth Mock Election", "American Child Election", etc. Elementary, junior and high school students, parents and teachers from all over the country can vote to choose the national leaders they like.

Such activities aim to cultivate adolescents' sense of political participation and encourage them to care about public affairs. The school's clubs and student autonomy have to go through student elections. In addition, the ubiquitous election culture in real life, American children have a strong sense of democracy since childhood.

Wang Hua held the soup in his mouth and shouted excitedly: "Wow, brother, you are so awesome. When will you vote? I will definitely support you!"

His father Wang Jiaming laughed twice, lowered his head and continued to squeeze the rice in the bowl.

"Oh, mom, it's not a mock election. I'm going to participate in the mayor's election in Braddock. In two days, it's my 18th birthday. I can run for the election. I'm going to run for the mayor!" Wang Lei was very dissatisfied and stretched out his chopsticks to knock on the plate on the table and explained loudly.

"Hua, eat slowly. You are less than eighteen years old and can't vote. You have to be my support team!"

Hu Shuying stretched out her chopsticks and just picked up a piece of ribs, she suddenly froze there, looking up at Wang Lei in surprise. Wang Jiaming also raised his head from the bowl, Wang Hua looked left and right, blinking his big round eyes.

It's a cold situation.

Wang Lei threw the chopsticks on the table and said dissatisfiedly: "What's wrong? Why do you always look at me like this? I'm going to run for mayor. That bastard Hawke wants to close the library, demolish the stadium, and discriminate against us Asians. I want to let him get out."

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Chapter completed!