If it seems like elected leaders in the United States are getting older and older, it is not just your imagination. Look, this is not meant to be ageist, but after the 2020 presidential election, primary candidate Joe Biden took office at 77 years old, becoming the oldest president in United States history. The question of whether an age limit should be imposed on elected officials has become more prevalent. As a society, we value age. Older people are supposed to have the knowledge and the experience. But is that enough?
A recent YouGov poll found that the current members of Congress are the oldest on average of any previous in at least the past 20 years. Politicians like Sen. Strom Thurmond served 47 years until he died at age 100 in 2003. However, the question of “how old is too old” for politicians seeking public office is not asked enough.Younger Americans find it essential for an age limit to be imposed for elected officials running for office to encourage people to vote more and bring new ideas into Congress. “ When I vote, I expect candidates to represent my beliefs and follow through with what they promise. I don’t think anyone above the age of 70 will be able to do that,” said Esmeralda Moreno, second-year Women and Gender studies major.
The relationship dynamic between U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 82, and the U.S. New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 32, is a prime example of why the inclusion of age limits would bring new ideas into Congress. Ocasio openly criticizes Pelosi as a gatekeeper of leadership positions for young people and demands that Congress should represent more of the younger voter population. “AOC is my personal hero. My admiration comes from her passion and drive. It’s refreshing she isn’t just another 50 or older dude,” said Julis Louis, a fourth-year Chicano and Latino studies major. There’s a need for fresh ideas to reach Congress every so often to ensure that we aren’t being blinded by comfort. Age limits would help to make that happen. Having young people like AOC with new ideas and preservatives helps prevent the government structure from solely following a traditional course of action.
In this period of political transition, the old ways of politics are fading in favor of the new ideas of the younger generation. Younger candidates on ballots encourage younger voters to vote, as it gives newly-minted adults someone to relate to and makes them feel seen. Introducing an age limit helps prevent candidates above 50 from becoming the norm. “It sounds a bit cliché, but every vote counts. If we don’t vote out the old people, we can’t make room for new leaders,” said Alex Ranalli, a third-year computer science major.
A YouGov poll stated that more than half Americans support a maximum age limit for elected officials. The current average age of Congress members is 65. Implementing the poll data would result in 71% of U.S senators not being eligible to hold office. The same principle would apply to President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. The only two presidents who would have been eligible to be in office in the past 40 years had age limits existed would have been Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Whether a person is too old or too young to be an elected leader is up to the individual voter to decide and consider if age should determine one’s capacity and ability to lead as an elected official.
