HILLSDALE, Mich. -- An 18-year-old high school student said he was in shock Wednesday after being elected mayor by mounting a write-in campaign to oust the 51-year-old incumbent.

Michael Sessions had 732 votes to 668 for Mayor Doug Ingles, according to unofficial figures posted on the city's Web site.

"It's just a state of trying to believe it," Sessions told the Hillsdale Daily News. "Especially that 732 people took the time to write my name in. My heart's racing."

A cheer went up in the Sessions home when the results were announced over the radio. The Hillsdale High School student lives with his parents and 13-year-old sister, Sarah.

"I support him all the way," said Scott Sessions, Michael's father. "He has worked for it. He had the desire to do it."

Scott and Lorri Sessions at first had doubts about the wisdom of their son's candidacy, the teen said.

"They thought I was crazy and (were) pretty skeptical of my campaign, but now they have smiles from cheek-to-cheek," Sessions told The Blade of Toledo, Ohio.

Hillsdale -- population 8,200 -- is home to the 160-year-old, 1,200-student Hillsdale College.

Pending clearance by the County Board of Canvassers on Thursday, Sessions will be the youngest mayor in city history.

Because the city's electronic voting system counted all write-in ballots for Sessions -- the only official write-in candidate -- they will have to be manually reviewed and ballots that have other names or are illegible will be thrown out.

Sessions was 17 and not yet qualified to get on the ballot in the spring.

But one day after his birthday, on Sept. 22, he registered to vote. The next day, he signed up as a write-in candidate.

He used $700 from a summer job to fund his race.

"Right off, I'm not going to get their respect, they'll say: `This kid could be my grandson,"' Sessions said of the City Council. "But it's not about bossing them around, it will be about cooperating with them."

Sessions put up signs all over Hillsdale and campaigned door to door.

"A lot of older people really enjoyed talking to me. I looked them in the eye. Young people could relate to me," he said.

Ingles had asked earlier, "How much credibility does an 18-year-old have?"

Following the election, Ingles said he would change nothing.

"It's an honor to serve in the City of Hillsdale, and I'll continue to work to make Hillsdale a better place," he said.

Among the teen's initial priorities are bringing jobs to the city, hiring a fourth full-time firefighter and meeting with the city manager and council members.

"I've got to get acquainted with everyone first," he said. "I'm just glad people are giving me the opportunity to show what I can do."