Seven Vermont Fifth Graders Run for Kid Governor
Finalists from across Vermont have released campaign videos as more than 2,000 fifth graders vote November 2 through November 10.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
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Seven fifth graders from across Vermont made the final ballot for the 2027 Kid Governor election, the program's second year in the state. Each candidate developed a platform on an issue facing Vermont and created a campaign video outlining it.
Why it matters
The program gives Vermont students a hands-on look at civic participation, with the winning candidate serving as Governor and the other six serving as a cabinet. Participation has doubled since the first year, when 1,000 fifth graders voted statewide.
The seven finalists were drawn from 26 nominees, each put forward by their school, and more than 2,000 fifth graders are expected to vote, up from 1,000 in the program's first year. The final results will be tabulated by the Secretary of State's Office, and the winner has not yet been named.
The players
Vermont Secretary of State's Office
The state office tabulating the votes and announcing the winning Kid Governor and Cabinet, and supporting the officials over their year of work.
Connecticut Democracy Center
The organization that founded the Kid Governor program in 2015 and whose model is now used across several states.
The details
Voting runs from November 2 to November 10, with fifth graders watching candidate videos before casting ballots. The program is free and was founded by the Connecticut Democracy Center in 2015; Vermont joins Nebraska, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma in running it this year.
Timeline
November 2-10, 2026: Fifth graders watch candidate videos and cast votes.
Week of November 16, 2026: The Secretary of State's Office announces the winning Kid Governor and Cabinet.
January 2027: The Kid Governor and Cabinet are sworn in at a State House inauguration ceremony.
Political Context
Vermont joins Nebraska, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma in running the Kid Governor program, which the Connecticut Democracy Center founded in 2015. The program's expansion into additional states this year extends its model beyond the Connecticut original.
Vermont families can follow the vote by watching the candidate videos on the program's platform during the November 2-10 voting window. The winning cabinet will then take on a year of work implementing its platform with support from the Secretary of State's Office.
The takeaway
The Kid Governor program shows Vermont students how elections work by letting them research an issue, make a case to their peers, and see their platform carried out. Participation doubling in its second year suggests the program is taking hold in Vermont classrooms.
What happens next
The Secretary of State's Office will announce the winning Kid Governor and Cabinet the week of November 16, 2026, and the officials will be sworn in at a State House ceremony in January 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on the Elections section for other civic contests and voting news.
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