WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) - A William and Mary senior made history Tuesday night by becoming the first college student to be elected to Williamsburg City Council.Daniel Scott Foster won 1,559 votes in the city council elections. He was one of five candidates seeking election.
On campus Wednesday, Foster was much like a celebrity, shaking hands and greeting those who voted him into office.
WAVY.com asked Foster how it felt to be called "council member Foster."
"It sounds pretty good! I'm getting used to it, everybody I've run into today has called me that. So, it's been a lot of fun," Foster said.
Foster campaigned hard over the past 5 months, dreaming to be where he is today. "It's a campus-wide effort and it showed," he told WAVY.com.
College freshman Claire Jackson agreed it was that campus-wide effort that got Foster elected. "There were a lot of voter registration efforts throughout the year and I think that probably made a really big difference," she said.
Williamsburg Vice-Mayor Clyde Haulman, who also happens to be a William and Mary professor, says this will only enhance the relationship between the College and the city.
"I think the students really did it right and had a really top notch candidate who not only had support in the college community, but had support in the non-college community as well," he told WAVY.com.
Williamsburg Mayor Jeanne Zeidler said, "I think it's a very historic vote. Scott spent a lot of time learning the issues... and I think he'll be a very good city council member."
As for those critics who think he's too young, Foster said, "I ran into those folks throughout the campaign, and I now have the opportunity to show them that I'm not too young and I am qualified to do this.
"While serving on council Foster will also be interning after he graduates. He then plans to start law school at William and Mary in fall 2011.
