14-Year-Old Forms New Party, Runs for Vermont Governor — “Try Something New”

Dean Roy, a 14-year-old freshman from Stowe, Vermont, has launched a campaign for governor of the Green Mountain State, which places no minimum age on candidates for public office. Roy announced his bid in an Instagram video posted Nov. 11 and has formed a third party, the Liberty and Union Party, to boost his chances of qualifying for the ballot.

In the video Roy acknowledged how unusual his candidacy may sound: "I know it sounds crazy, a 14-year-old running for governor," he said. He urged voters to "try something new," arguing that Vermont "deserves better" and that taking a chance on an unconventional candidate could be a first step toward change.

Roy's platform centers on affordability and a smaller state government. He pledges to lower taxes for families and small businesses, pursue housing reforms and oppose Gov. Phil Scott's proposed electric-vehicle (EV) mandate — a rule that would have required 35% of vehicles delivered to Vermont dealers to be zero-emission (a mandate Scott suspended in May).

He also promises "no new restrictions of any kind on guns, construction, or farming," framing his campaign around protecting personal freedoms and reducing regulatory burdens for residents. Roy says he is focused on practical issues that affect everyday Vermonters.

Dean Roy For Governor/InstagramDean Roy, the 14-year-old running for governor in Vermont

Rather than running as a Democrat or Republican, Roy created the Liberty and Union Party to improve his odds of getting on the ballot. He told ABC News he is close to collecting the roughly 500 valid signatures required to qualify, and described the petitioning process as a mix of polite refusals and support from neighbors.

Roy has said he does not expect to defeat incumbent Gov. Phil Scott but views the campaign as a way to begin a political career and introduce himself to voters. If elected, he told reporters he would continue his schooling online: "It'd be hard, but I can do it."

Vermont is not new to teenage candidacies: 13-year-old Ethan Sonneborn ran for governor in 2018. Roy previously worked as a legislative page in Montpelier last winter and, according to local reporting, sought a letter of recommendation from Sen. Bernie Sanders for a page position in Washington, D.C.

Roy: "I'm not pretending that I know everything. But I do know this: Vermont deserves better. And maybe the first step toward real change is taking a chance on something different, even if that change comes in the form of a 14-year-old."

If Roy ultimately qualifies and wins, he would become the youngest governor in U.S. history. For now, his campaign highlights youth engagement in politics and raises questions about experience, qualifications and unconventional candidacies in state-level races.