At an age when most teens are focused on their learner’s permits or high school homework, 15-year-old Dean Roy is busy navigating the complexities of a gubernatorial campaign. Running under the Freedom and Unity Party banner, the Vermont sophomore is aiming to challenge the status quo and ensure that the voices of the younger generation are finally heard by state leadership. While he knows he isn’t the frontrunner against incumbent Governor Phil Scott, Roy has managed to capture attention—and even some polling numbers—by championing unique issues like nuclear energy, housing deregulation, and online privacy.

His journey into politics began as a lighthearted joke with a teacher during an eighth-grade internship at the statehouse, but it quickly transformed into a serious endeavor once he realized Vermont law sets no age floor for the governorship. Supported by his parents, who view the campaign as a productive learning experience, Roy spends his time balancing schoolwork, a part-time job at his family’s pizza shop, and recording social media content for his followers. By blending traditional campaigning with a pragmatic, non-partisan approach, this young activist is proving that even if he’s too young to vote, he’s never too young to start holding his leaders accountable.