One of the best pieces of news in 2025 is the growth in Latino political participation and voter turnout. A story that reflects this is that of a young man of Mexican origin.
On November 4, voters in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, supported a young Hispanic newcomer to local politics. Juan Tafolla, elected as a council member for the Kennett municipality, has become the youngest council member in Kennett’s history at just nineteen years old.
Tafolla worked tirelessly until the very last moment.
“The numbers looked great for us after the May primaries. We were surrounded by an incredible team and friends who helped us reach the finish line, and I’m truly grateful. After the May elections, friends and family were confident we would win in November, but personally, I still felt I had to keep pushing.”
Between September and November, Tafolla and his team knocked on more than 2,000 doors in Kennett Square.
“We met amazing people and built new friendships along the way… It was truly an incredible experience.”
Voter turnout in Kennett brought a very positive surprise: records were broken.
“On Election Day, we were amazed by the turnout in Kennett Square. Many young voters and Hispanics came out to support us, which meant a lot. And when the results came in, we were even more surprised: no candidate in Kennett Square’s history, with or without opposition, had ever reached 800 votes—let alone 1,000. That night, records were shattered. We finished first with 1,071 votes. I’m deeply grateful to the residents and voters of Kennett Square for trusting me with this opportunity.”
The participation of Hispanic voters in Kennett (more than 40% of the town’s population is Hispanic) made the difference. For the first time in the municipality’s history, two Hispanics (Juan Tafolla and Hilda Matos) were elected to the council at the same time.
The young council member highly values the diversity of the new Town Council.
“Having fair representation for everyone… I believe our different backgrounds will be helpful when debating policies.”
A descendant of Mexican parents, Tafolla was born in Delaware but grew up and lives with his family in the Mushroom Capital of the World. This place has grown primarily thanks to the many immigrants who have lived and worked there for decades.
“In my opinion, Kennett Square is not just the mushroom capital of the world, but also the capital of opportunities. You can see this throughout our community,” says the new council member, who feels the town’s charm has remained the same as in his childhood.
From July 2023 to September 2024, the young politician served as a junior member of the Kennett Square Town Council.
“I was able to observe how local government works, which gave me a broader understanding of the position I had just been elected to—especially the responsibilities of a legislator and a local policymaker. It gave me the chance to meet and connect with many residents of the municipality and the Kennett area. It also helped me build strong relationships with other elected officials at the local, county, state, and federal levels.”
From his seat, he has expressed support for affordable housing and first responder services.
His campaign received endorsements from Pennsylvania State Senator John Kane (D-District 9), who said the young council member will be “a champion for equity, opportunity, and progress.” Also from Josh Maxwell, Chester County Commissioner and former mayor of Downingtown, who praised Tafolla’s ability to “bring people together, solve problems, and create a vision for a stronger community.”
In October 2023, on behalf of the Kennett Square Town Council, Tafolla traveled for six months to Toluca, Mexico (his parents’ hometown) to explore potential relationships between the city and Kennett.
“(Our trip) allowed us to reflect on how we can incorporate elements of that culture into our Hispanic community in Kennett. I also believe it strengthened our personal relationship with the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia and opened the door to greater collaboration. We have an important project that was put on hold after my term as a junior member ended, but I plan to resume it now as an elected official. Stay tuned!”
Tafolla is studying Political Science at West Chester University in Pennsylvania while working part-time as a digital navigator in a new outreach program in the Kennett area, under the direction of RSVP Volunteers.
Looking ahead to 2026, the elected council member is hopeful about achieving significant progress in Kennett.
“We have a lot of work ahead in Kennett Square. We developed a clear, well-structured agenda based on feedback from residents during the campaign, including fire and emergency medical services, affordable housing, and more. We look forward to completing the task and seeing what the next four years bring for Kennett Square.”
The elected council member is grateful to everyone who believed in him.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime honor, especially knowing we made history as the youngest elected official in Kennett Square at just 19 years old. I can only say this is just the beginning of our political career. Stay tuned and visit our website www.juantafolla.com to keep up with what we’re doing in Kennett Square,” concludes Tafolla.
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