Age of candidacy
From YRN
Age of candidacy is the minimum age at which a person can legally qualify to hold certain elected government offices. In many cases, it also determines the age at which a person may be granted ballot access for an election.
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Controversy surrounding age requirements
Many youth rights groups view age of candidacy requirements as unjustified age discrimination. Occasionally people who are younger than the miniumum age will run for an office in protest of the requirement (or because they don't know that the requirement exists). On extremely rare occasions, young people have been elected to offices they do not qualify for and have been deemed ineligible to assume the office.
In 1956, Richard Fulton won election to the Tennessee State Senate. The Senate, however, refused to let Fulton assume office because he was only 29 years old at the time. The State Constitution required that Senators be at least 30 years old. Rather than hold a new election, the incumbent, Clifford Allen, was allowed to stay in office for another term. Fulton went on to win the next State Senate election in 1958 and was later elected to the US House of Representatives where he served for 10 years.
In 2004, Arrin Hawkins was the vice-presidential candidate of the Socialist Workers Party in the U.S. presidential election. Because she was younger than 35 years old, she was not able to receive ballot access in several states in which she otherwise qualified.
Reform efforts
In the United States many groups have attempted to lower age of candidacy requirements in various states.
In 1994, South Dakota voters rejected a ballot measure that would have lowered the age requirements to serve as a State Senator or State Congressperson from 25 to 18. In 1998, however, they approved a similar ballot measure that reduced the age requirements for those offices from 25 to 21.
In 2002, Oregon voters rejected a ballot measure that would have reduced the age requirement to serve as a State Congressperson from 21 to 18.
Age of candidacy in various countries
United States
In the United States a person must be at least 35 to be President or Vice President, 30 to be a Senator, or 25 to be a Congressperson, as specified in the U.S. Constitution. Most states in the U.S. also have age requirements for the offices of Governor, State Senator, and State Congressperson. Some states have a minimum age requirement to hold any elected office (usually 21 or 18). Most states will not allow ballot access to people who do not meet the age requirements of the office they are running for. Below are some examples of state public office age requirements in the U.S.:
Alaska
- Governor: ?
- State Senator: 25
- State Congressperson: 21
- Any county or local office: ?
Connecticut
- Governor:
- State Senator:
- State Congressperson:
- Any county or local office:
Massachusetts
- Governor: ?
- State Senator: 18
- State Congressperson: 18
- Any county or local office: ?
Maine
- Governor:
- State Senator: 25
- State Congressperson: 21
- Any county or local office: 18
New Jersey
- Governor: 30
- State Senator: 30
- State Congressperson: 21
- Any county or local office: 21
New York
- Governor: 30
- State Senator: 18
- State Assemblyman: 18
- local office: 18
Oregon
- Governor: 30
- State Senator: 21
- State Congressperson: 21
Rhode Island
- Governor: 18
- State Senator: 18
- State Congressperson: 18
- Any county or local office:
South Dakota
- Governor: 21
- Lieutenant Governor: 21
- State Senator: 21
- State Congressperson: 21
- Public Utilities Commissioner: 25
Tennessee
- Governor: 30
- State Senator: 30
- State Congressperson: 25
Wisconsin
- Governor: 18
- State Senator: 18
- State Congressperson: 18
- Any county or local office: 18
Mexico
In Mexico a person must be at least 35 to be President, 35 to be a Senator, or 25 to be a Congressional Deputy, as specified in the 1917 Constitution of Mexico.
