Local News

Meet the teen who just won a select board seat in Mass.

The high school senior nabbed one of two seats in a five-person field.

Daniel Darris-O’Connor, a senior at Billerica Memorial High School, just won a seat on the town's Select Board. Courtesy of Daniel Darris-O’Connor

By Lindsay Shachnow

April 29, 2025

1 minute to read

A high schooler won a seat on the Select Board in Billerica earlier this month.

Daniel Darris-O’Connor first announced his election bid at the end of January.

“We got a lot of support,” he told Boston.com. “A lot of energy behind me.”

On election night, Darris-O’Connor hosted a watch party with his family friends.

“As the results started coming in precinct by precinct, we kind of knew that it was going in our favor,” he said. “So it was a fun night.”

Darris-O’Connor campaigned by going door-to-door and making phone calls. But what made him stand out, he said, was his use of social media to drive home his message.

“I think the messaging was probably the most important aspect of my campaign,” he said. “I think the voters really wanted some sort of change.”

Daniel Darris-O’Connor has been sworn in to serve on Billerica’s Select Board. *Courtesy of Daniel Darris-O’Connor*.

During the campaign, Darris-O’Connor said he tried to present himself as “not the kid running.”

“The biggest attack against me was my age,” he said. “I tried to stay away from that as much as possible.”

The Billerica Memorial High School senior, who is also a dual enrollment student at UMass Lowell, ran in a field of five candidates for two open seats.

Following graduation, Darris-O’Connor plans to continue his studies at UMass Lowell while serving his three-year term on the board. He is also working on getting his commercial pilot’s license.

Some priorities for Darris-O’Connor this year include upgrades to the police department and a new economic development plan.

When asked about future political plans, Darris-O’Connor said his primary concern is on his current role.

“Right now I’m focused on serving on the Select Board,” he said. “But not ruling anything out.”