John Tyler Hammons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Tyler Hammons
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| City Attorney of Checotah | |
| Assumed office January 2019 |
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| 47th Mayor of Muskogee | |
| In office May 19, 2008 – February 20, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Wren Stratton |
| Succeeded by | Bob Coburn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 September 1988 Muskogee, Oklahoma, US |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Courtney Elizabeth Burden |
| Alma mater | University of Oklahoma |
| Occupation | City Attorney of Checotah, Oklahoma City Attorney of McAllister |
John Tyler Hammons was born on September 4, 1988. He is an American politician. He became famous for being elected mayor of Muskogee, Oklahoma, at a very young age. He was only 19 years old when he won the election on May 13, 2008. At that time, he was a freshman student at the University of Oklahoma. He won with 70 percent of the votes. He was reelected for a second term on April 6, 2010.
Hammons was one of the youngest mayors in United States history. He is also a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. After serving two terms as mayor, he started studying law in 2012. He later worked as an assistant attorney general for the Cherokee Nation. In January 2019, he became the city attorney for Checotah, Oklahoma.
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Early Life and Education
John Tyler Hammons was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. His birthday is September 4, 1988. He is a member of the Cherokee Nation. He finished high school at Muskogee High School in 2007. Before his last year of high school, he was a delegate at Oklahoma Boys State. This is a program where young people learn about how government works.
During his senior year, Hammons was the president of his high school's student body. He was also president of both the Young Republicans and Young Democrats clubs at his school. After high school, he went to the University of Oklahoma. He later transferred to Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In 2010, he went to the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa and graduated in 2012. Hammons then went to law school at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He passed the Oklahoma Bar Examination in July 2015. This meant he could become a lawyer.
Becoming Mayor (2008–2012)
Hammons decided to run for mayor of Muskogee in January 2008. He was one of six people who wanted to be mayor. On April 1, he won the most votes in the first election. He got 42% of the votes. Another candidate, Herschel McBride, came in second with 38%. Because no one got more than half the votes, Hammons and McBride had to have a second election, called a runoff election.
In the runoff election on May 13, Hammons won by a lot. He got 70% of the votes. This was the most votes any candidate had ever received in Muskogee's history. On May 19, 2008, Hammons officially became the 47th mayor of Muskogee. He was also the youngest mayor the city had ever had.
Reelection and Leaving Office
On November 30, 2009, Hammons announced he would run for mayor again. He had three opponents this time. On April 6, 2010, he won reelection easily. He received just over 51% of the votes. He won in 17 out of the city's 18 voting areas.
On November 3, 2011, Hammons said he would not run for a third term. He decided to go to law school instead. As one of his last actions as mayor, he changed how City Council members were elected. Before, everyone in the city voted for all council members. Hammons changed it so that people only voted for the council member in their own area. In his farewell speech in February 2012, Hammons talked about his achievements. He said he helped get money for economic growth, road improvements, and tourism. Bob Coburn, who had run against Hammons in 2010, was elected to be the next mayor.
Presidential Election Involvement
Hammons was interested in national politics too. He supported Rudy Giuliani, a former mayor of New York City, in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries. When Giuliani stopped running, Hammons then supported Senator John McCain. Hammons was also the youngest delegate from Oklahoma at the 2008 Republican National Convention. This is a big meeting where the Republican Party chooses its presidential candidate. At the convention, on his 20th birthday, he met Rudy Giuliani.
In January 2009, Hammons went to the inauguration of Barack Obama. This was when Obama became the 44th President of the United States. Hammons attended this event as part of a meeting for mayors from across the country.
See also
