Jack Bergeson, a 16-year-old high school student from Wichita, is running for Kansas governor, even though he will be too young to vote in the election.
Bergeson will be seeking the Democratic nomination in 2018, and his friend Alexander Cline, 17, will be running for lieutenant governor on the same ticket.
There is no minimum age required to run for governor in Kansas; in 47 states the age requirement is anywhere from 18 to 31 in order to run.
Bergeson filed paperwork last year to enable him to raise money, and has raised enough to pay the $2,037 fee to get his name on the ballot,
“As long as I’m giving people the option of my candidacy, it doesn’t really matter too much that I won’t be able to vote for myself,” Bergeson said, The Wall Street Journal reported.
He currently works part time for the summer busing tables and washing dishes at Fizz, his family’s restaurant.
Bergeson said he wants to legalize medical marijuana and “radically change” the healthcare system if elected.
"Many people throughout the years have suggested that Jack run for public office later in life, but thought 'What is the point in waiting to try to help your homeland,'" his campaign website reads.
“We do not see youth as a disadvantage in this competitive campaign, but as a strength. As someone new to the political scene, we will not be afraid to try new solutions to old problems,” the site continues.
Twitter users thought Bergeson deserved a chance and that he would have to be better than some previous governors.
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