In the first gubernatorial debate Tuesday, the three candidates seeking the state’s highest office won’t be grilled by reporters or field questions from citizens in a town hall format. In fact, most of the questioners can’t cast a ballot in November.

The debate, put on in partnership by Children First for Oregon, KOIN 6, and the Pamplin Media Group, will be controlled by 16 children and young adults, only two of whom were 18 or older when selected. The youngest, Genesis Gomez of Portland, is 12. The hourlong debate will start at 7 p.m. at Roosevelt High School in Portland, and will be broadcast by KOIN.

The students will question Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, Republican Knute Buehler and Patrick Starnes, representing the Independent Party.

The questioners are among the brightest and most ambitious teens Oregon has to offer.

“So much is at stake for youth in our upcoming election,” Tonia Hunt, Children First for Oregon’s executive director, said in a news release. “We are proud to be part of this historic event that will bring a sharp focus on the lived experiences of young people and what matters to them the most.”

Justin Thach, a student at West Salem High School, is working toward a career in the U.S. Congress. Along the way he plans to become a lawyer, craft education policy or do nonprofit work.

For Thach, this is far from his first experience with politics. A precocious 17-year-old, he is the founder and executive director of Young Asian Leaders of America, which is focused on getting Asian-American youth more involved in their communities. He’s worked with other students to write legislative bills and is a member of Oregon Student Voice.

His experience running successfully for student council president in the eighth grade taught him why so much of what politicians preach on the campaign trail is rhetoric.

“What I realized after that is these kind of radical ideas that we want to enact are not always feasible or easy to get everyone on board with,” Thach said. “Just because of the simple fact that — who’s going to pay for it? When are you going to do it? How are you going to get people involved? There are all these factors that are easy to ignore. It’s easy to paint this as a really easy route to change.”

Thach will not be old enough to vote in the governor’s race, but that hasn’t stopped him from scrutinizing where the candidates fall on issues he feels are most important, such as education and homelessness. He said he is leaning in favor of Brown, but thinks Buehler could sway him Tuesday night.

The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group, Pamplin Media Group and Salem Reporter.