14-year-old youngster competing for the governorship in the US state election

A fourteen-year-old high school student running for governor in Vermont, USA, in the 2026 election, has garnered international attention these days. Dean Roy, a freshman at Stowe High School, has successfully had his name included on the general election ballot for the upcoming November election, making him the first candidate under the age of eighteen to run for governor in a state general election.

Vermont is the only state in America with no minimum age requirement to be governor, only requiring four years of residency. Roy, who completed the necessary signatures to run as an independent or third-party candidate, has also created his own political party named "Freedom and Unity Party," inspired by Vermont's state motto.

His political journey began last year, during his eighth grade, when he served as an assistant in the Vermont State Legislature in Montpelier. According to his former history teacher, James Carpenter, Roy is a remarkable young man with mature ideas, combining endless curiosity, youthful optimism, and practicality. Carpenter further emphasizes that Roy's endeavor is not merely a publicity stunt, even though typical fourteen-year-olds do not focus on issues like property taxes or healthcare. Outside of politics, he is a normal high school student who participates in cross-country running and skiing, collects maple syrup with his family, and is a fan of Formula 1 racing champion Fernando Alonso. Roy's achievement marks a unique historical milestone, especially given that in 2018, fourteen-year-old Ethan Sonneborn, who ran in the Democratic primary, was unable to make it to the general election ballot.

Roy, who identifies himself as a moderate not aligned with major political parties, primarily focuses on the housing crisis and property tax issues. His main proposal is to impose a statewide 5% tax on short-term rental properties to encourage owners to offer them for long-term residency and to generate funds for new housing construction. Additionally, his policies include reducing property taxes for families and small businesses, increasing taxes for large corporations, consolidating school districts for efficiency, and protecting rural traditions by avoiding new restrictions on firearms, construction, and hunting. He advocates for LGBTQ rights, minority rights, and women's right to abortion, while rejecting laws mandating electric vehicle use and proposing to strengthen relations with Canada and the European Union. Valuing small government and individual freedom, he also plans to balance his school education through online classes at night if elected governor.

Roy states that he does not necessarily expect to win this election, but his primary goal is to initiate a new movement to bring young people into politics and change the existing traditional political landscape. He points out that while a fourteen-year-old running for governor might seem crazy, even those who have been in power for a long time have not achieved significant success. Commenting on this, current Republican Governor Phil Scott, who is seeking re-election, and his team, while appreciating this youth participation, have questioned the readiness of a young person with limited life experience. Although legal professor Peter Teachout has raised a constitutional interpretation issue, Roy has already overcome all legal hurdles and is officially on the ballot. As of March 27, 2026, this event has attracted significant attention from numerous international and local media outlets, and he continues his election campaign based on his Instagram account and rapidly spreading online videos, without major financial backing.