More than half a dozen Kansas teens are running for for governor in 2018 – so, don’t be surprised if a high school student occupies the governor’s office this year.
According to the Chicago Tribune, a state legislative committee moved a bill forward this week that would bar people under age 18 from running for statewide office, after a 16-year-old discovered a loophole in the state’s electoral laws and inspired his peers to flood the race.
“Oh, I could do that,” Jack Bergeson -the first teenager to register, thought to himself when he realized Kansas law, while it restricts voting ages, says nothing about who can run for governor, the Kansas City Star reported last August.
When asked why is he running for governor of Kansas, Ilan Cohen, a Marylander junior at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Washington D.C. responds:
“Because I can.
Firstly, this is one of two states without residency or age requirements for candidates and secondly, I am running to show the youth of America that politics are not just for “the grown ups.”My generation complains about society, but until now we have not seen many teens standing up and trying to fix it. In a sense, this campaign transcends party politics. This is about what it means to engage politically in the 21st century as Americans. I look forward to you joining me on this adventure.” says Cohen at his campaign website.
“One of the key reasons behind this candidacy is teen participation in political life,” Cohen told JTA in a 20-minute break from his campaign schedule — and 11th grade. “There are many ways of getting involved in the political scene before you’re 18, and oftentimes in ways you don’t necessarily expect. For instance, running for governor of Kansas.”
“It’d be an honor to be the governor of Kansas, is it the most likely outcome, I don’t think so,” said Ilan,who hopes to visit Kansas, a state he’s never been to and be able to vote and become a high school graduate.
“If I win governor of Kansas, we’ll see what schools there are in the area,” Cohen said. “It’ll be difficult to balance being a college student and governor. However, it is my promise to the people of the great state of Kansas that I will try my hardest.”