Age of candidacy facts for kids
The age of candidacy is the minimum age a person must be to legally run for and hold a job in government, such as president, mayor, or a member of parliament.
This age is often different from the voting age. While you might be able to vote at 18, you may have to be older to be a candidate in an election. This requirement makes sure that people running for office have enough life experience for the job.
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Why Have Age Requirements?
Most countries have laws about the minimum age for political candidates. International agreements on human rights say that it is reasonable to have age requirements. The idea is that certain government jobs, like being president, need more experience and maturity.
For example, the United Nations has said that it's fair to require a higher age for someone to be elected to an important office than the age required to vote.
A Look Around the World
The age to run for office changes a lot from one country to another. Some countries let 18-year-olds run for their national government, while others require candidates to be much older.
Examples of Age Requirements by Country
Age rules can be very different depending on the country and the specific job. Here are some examples.
United States
In the United States, the age requirements are written in the Constitution:
- President: You must be at least 35 years old.
- Senator: You must be at least 30 years old.
- Representative: You must be at least 25 years old.
Most states also have age rules for local jobs like governor or state senator.
Canada
In Canada, you must be at least 18 years old to run for a seat in the House of Commons, which is the main law-making body. To be appointed to the Senate, a person must be at least 30.
Canada has had some very young politicians. In 2011, Pierre-Luc Dusseault was elected to Parliament when he was only 19, making him the youngest Member of Parliament in the country's history.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, a person must be 18 or older to run in any election, whether it's for Parliament or a local council. This wasn't always the case. Before 2007, the minimum age was 21. This shows that age of candidacy laws can change over time.
Australia
In Australia, you must be 18 or older to run for any government office. One of the youngest people ever elected to Australia's House of Representatives was Wyatt Roy, who was 20 years old when he was elected in 2010.
Other Interesting Examples
- Brazil: To be president, you must be 35. But to be a city council member, you only need to be 18.
- Italy: The age to become president is one of the highest in the world: 50 years old.
- Japan: A person must be 25 to be elected to the House of Representatives and 30 to be elected to the House of Councillors.
- India: To be Prime Minister or a member of the lower house of Parliament (Lok Sabha), you must be 25. To be President, you must be 35.
- North Korea: The age to run for office is 17, which is the same as the voting age.
A Little Bit of History
The idea of setting a minimum age for leaders is not new. One of the first known examples comes from Ancient Rome. In 180 BCE, a law called the Lex Villia Annalis set the minimum ages for different government positions in the Roman Senate.
See also
- Ageism
- Ballot access
- Electoral reform
- Voting age
- Youth
- Youth suffrage
- Youth rights
