Imagine being 14 years old again, when the biggest concerns were a new pimple popping up, an upcoming test in school, or whether the person you have a crush on feels the same way. Normal worries for teens, sure, but just the tip of the iceberg for Vermont high schooler Dean Roy. This youngster is not happy with how his state is being run and has decided to throw his hat into the governor’s race.
14-Year-Old Running for Vermont Governor
“I know it sounds crazy, a 14-year-old running for governor,” Roy said in a video posted to Instagram on November 11. “But honestly, look at the people in charge right now. They’ve been doing this forever and things still aren’t working.” He said it’s not just time for policy changes, but also a change in mindset.
Roy worked as a legislative page at the Vermont State House, and being surrounded by legislation and policymakers probably contributed to his desire to run for office. But is it legal? Vermont doesn’t have an age requirement to run for governor, and the state’s constitution only specifies that candidates must have lived there for at least four years.
The teenager is not the first person to run for governor of Vermont before even qualifying for a driver’s license. In 2018, Ethan Sonneborn – also 14 at the time – sought the Democratic Party nomination, but he finished last in a four-way primary and was not put on the ballot. Roy, however, is the first person under the age of 18 to become a gubernational candidate on the state’s general election ballot this November. He was able to secure his position by creating a third option, the Freedom and Unity Party.
“Being quite small in population, Vermont is a state where a tiny voice can roar politically, said Liberty Nation News National Correspondent John Klar, who also ran for governor in 2020. He continued:
“For a youngster, Dean Roy has already demonstrated political savvy by embracing a bipartisan pathway in his policies. Moreover, he has not run in a Dem or GOP primary, where he would certainly lose before the big race: By forming a third party, he will likely be on the ballot for the general election. Vermonters are notably eccentric and won’t elect a teen – but one is never too young to begin gaining name recognition with voters and building political alliances. Expect to see Mr. Roy again in the future.”
Peter Teachout, a professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School, is of a similar opinion. He pointed out that the state constitution says for someone to be “entitled to the privileges of a voter,” they must be 18 years old. “In theory, a 4-year-old could run for governor. Should we be worried about it? No. Vermonters can be a little cantankerous and provocative just for the fun of it, but it is not something they are likely to support in this context.”
Roy’s former history teacher, James Carpenter, is supportive of the youth’s decision to run for governor and describes the teen as an “old soul.” He added: “It just really shows what type of kid Dean is. He’s very earnest about what he’s doing. There’s no gimmick behind this. I think he blends that youthful optimism with some pragmatism that few kids have.” The teen doesn’t identify with any specific party and says one of his top priorities is housing.
Being a teenager is hard enough, but how does Roy plan to tackle such a demanding position as the governor of Vermont plus homework? He said he might take his classes online so that he can study and complete his schoolwork at night, after taking care of state business.
Amanda Wheeler, press secretary for the current governor, Republican Phil Scott, said of Roy: “He believes it’s important for our youth to get involved. But the governor also believes that a teenager may not be best suited to serve in that role given the lack of experience and lived perspectives youth have at that point in their lives.”
Too Young to Run for Governor?
For most states, candidates must be at least 30 years old to run for governor. Arizona, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, and Nevada candidates need to be at least 25. In South Dakota, hopeful politicians need to be at least 21. But in Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin, potential governors need only to be 18 years old.
The youngest governor in the history of the US was Michigan’s first governor, Stevens T. Mason, who was 24 when he took office. Folks called him the “boy Governor.” But he got his start in politics earlier than that. At the age of 19, he was appointed acting territorial secretary by President Andrew Jackson. When he was 22, in 1834, he became the territorial governor of Michigan and was influential in the battle for statehood.
Roy may be a bit too young and inexperienced to run Vermont, but he’s not so naïve as to actually think he’ll win. He’s doing this more for the experience and to send a message. “What I’m aiming for is that these career politicians look at me and they say, ‘… he actually has a chance to disrupt things. If I can get people to think that I am a threat to them, then I know that’s been a success. Because what I want is to show them that the youth have a voice. We’re gonna make change. The future is now.”
