Meet Belleville’s new mayor: A 25-year-old making history

At just 25 years old, Frank Vélez III is making history as one of the youngest mayors in the country. This Gen Z’er is no stranger to politics–he was elected to the township’s school board at 19, and then the council in 2024. Vélez credited his social media campaign for activating thousands of voters, beating out two-term mayor Michael Melham with nearly 60% of the vote.
🎥 Lauren Raposa
✒️ Rob Jennings