A 19-year-old Auburn University student filed his paperwork and is one of six candidates for mayor of Auburn.
Jordan Langdon, sophomore in communications, decided to run for mayor after current Auburn Mayor Bill Ham Jr. explained why he is not running again.
“A couple weeks ago, when Mayor Ham said he wasn't running again, he said he wanted the younger people to step up," Langdon said. "I felt like he was speaking directly to me. So I sat on it for a couple of weeks."
Mayoral Campaign
After talking it over with friends and family, Langdon filed his paper work and started up his mayoral campaign.
He is basing his campaign off of the Auburn Creed. Langdon said he wants to show the Auburn community how the creed can apply to more than just students.
He has divided the creed into six sections. He chose the sections based on how they speak to him and how he thinks they apply to the Auburn community.
“I’m trying to take that as a University standpoint and push it into the community to see how it works for everybody, not just Auburn students,” Langdon said.
Three Point Plan
Langdon has three goals he would like to accomplish during his first year in office if he is elected to serve as mayor.
First, he wants to make citizens more involved in the government.
“I want to make sure that they hear both sides of the story, not just what one person is telling them,” Langdon said. “I want them to be more involved and know that we are working for them, not just ourselves.”
Bringing the people of Auburn together is important to Langdon. He wants the students and community members to come together, not a community of students and a community of non-students.
“I want to see everybody coming together as a community because we are one Auburn Family,” Langdon said.
Second, he wants to ensure the growth of small businesses and the Auburn Industrial Park.
“We have a great downtown system,” Langdon said. “Lots of small businesses, successful businesses that have been there a long time.”
Third, he wants to work with the leadership in Montgomery, Alabama, to bring more high-paying jobs to Auburn.
“There’s lots of jobs being created up North,” Langdon said. “I want that to be brought down more South so that our students here, once they graduate, they don’t have to move away. They can stay in the community they love.”
In order to bring those jobs, Langdon wants to focus on the public education system to continue to improve the schools.
A Student Mayor
Langdon plans to continue his studies at Auburn during his term if he is elected as mayor.
He may have to take fewer classes each semester and become less involved in on-campus organizations, but he said he is prepared and willing to do that to be able to serve the Auburn community as the best mayor he can be.
"The mayor is a full-time position," Langdon said. "I understand that. I currently work full time and go to school so it's definitely manageable."
It's going to be a trial and error process to find what works best so he can continue his education and serve as mayor if he is elected, he said.
Experience
Though he is young, Langdon is quick to point out that he has some experience that would help him as mayor.
In high school, he served as band president and on other leadership committees. He also attended several leadership camps and conferences such as the Alabama Leadership Conference.
"I think the thing that pushed me were the things that I learned in high school," Langdon said. "The band president, I was over the entire band. So that helped me lead meetings and learn what the students needed and get that to them."
Once he came to Auburn, Langdon got involved on campus. He joined Eagle Eye TV, Auburn's student-run TV station, and became an executive member within his first year.
"I think a big part of what's going to help me in the campaign and if I'm elected is my leadership experience at such a young age," Langdon said.
Goals for Auburn
Langdon wants Auburn to be the number one city in Alabama, though he notes that's probably what every mayor says.
In order to do that he wants to expand the great businesses already in Auburn and bring more businesses in. Langdon said that will help to put Auburn on the map as a top city for business in Alabama.
"When you think of Alabama, I want you to think of Auburn," Langdon said.
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