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Anderson Clayton is an American political activist who serves as the current chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. Elected at 25 years old, Clayton is the youngest chair of a state political party in the U.S.

Early life

Clayton grew up in Roxboro, North Carolina and attended Appalachian State University. She graduated in 2019 with degrees in journalism and political science.

Career

Clayton's political work began with registering voters while an undergraduate at Appalachian State University. As a sophomore, she was elected Student Body President and served from 2017-2018.

After graduating, she worked on the congressional campaign of Kathy Manning. In the 2020 election cycle, she worked in Iowa as a field organizer for the presidential campaigns of Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, and then for the Senate campaign of Amy McGrath in Kentucky.

After the 2020 election cycle, Clayton returned to Roxboro, North Carolina and was elected the chair of the Person County Democratic Party in 2021.

In February 2023, Clayton was elected to a two-year term as chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, defeating incumbent Bobbie Richardson in a second round of voting. Under her leadership, the North Carolina Democratic Party has run candidates in all 50 North Carolina Senate districts and 118 out of 120 North Carolina House of Representatives districts in the 2024 cycle.

In addition to her work for the North Carolina Democratic Party, Clayton is also employed as a broadband analyst with non-profit Rural Innovation Strategies.

References

1. "The Youngest State Party Leader in the U.S. Has a Blue-Collar Blueprint". Retrieved November 24, 2023.
2. Warburg, Emily G. Tynes, Jenny (September 5, 2023). "In North Carolina, the U.S.' Youngest Party Chair Has a Plan for Attracting Voters and Winning Elections in the Battleground State". Ms. Magazine. Retrieved November 10, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
3. ^ Rodriguez, Sabrina (March 28, 2023). "A Gen Z party chair hopes to change Democrats' fortunes in N.C." The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
4. Perchick, Michael (February 24, 2023). "NC Democratic Party Chair focusing on voter outreach, candidate recruitment". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
5. ^ Doyle, Steve (February 19, 2023). "Meet the 25-year-old woman who plans to turn the North Carolina Democratic Party around". FOX8 WGHP. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
6. "History of App State SGA". Appalachian State University Student Government Association. Appalachian State University. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
7. ^ Demissie, Hannah (February 24, 2023). "Can this 25-year-old help solve North Carolina Democrats' problems?". ABC News. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
8. "N.C. Democratic Party elects Anderson Clayton chair". Associated Press. February 11, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
9. Harrison, Steve. "Let's take a closer look at cannon-fodder candidates in North Carolina Elections". WUNC. WUNC - North Carolina Public Radio. Retrieved February 11, 2024.

• 21st-century North Carolina politicians
• 21st-century American women politicians
• 1990s births
• Activists from North Carolina
• American political activists
• American women activists
• People from Roxboro, North Carolina
• Appalachian State University alumni
• Living people
• North Carolina Democratic Party chairs
• Women in North Carolina politics