If you feel a strong desire to serve the United States of America, but believe that you are not cut out for the army, you might be interested in running for a political seat.
However, before you decide to start your political career, you should learn as much as possible about the requirements you need to meet. One of the most important things you need to know is the age of candidacy for different types of positions.
Read the article below and learn more about the age requirements when running for Congress, Senate, or the presidency!
Federal Government Positions
Age of candidacy laws for federal government positions are set by the United States Constitution. There are three main types of federal offices: the Presidency, the United States Senate, and the United States House of Representatives.
The President of the United States
The President of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and government, as well as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. You have to be at least 35 years old to run for the presidency.
Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the Constitution also requires you to be a natural-born citizen of the US or a resident for a minimum of 14 years.
The United States Senate
As specified by Article I, Section 3, of the Constitution, you need to be 30 years old or more to run for the seat in the Senate. You are also required to have been a citizen of the United States of America for a minimum of 9 years. Any Senate candidate will also have to be an inhabitant of the state they want to represent.
The United States House of Representatives
Article I, Section 2, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution requires you to be at least 25 years old to run for a seat in the House of Representatives.
You also need to have had US citizenship for at least 7 years and be an inhabitant of the state you want to represent.
Conclusion
The age of candidacy laws play an important role in American politics. The requirements for federal seats are set by the US Constitution, while each state is free to set its own age limits for state positions.
The minimum age to run for the presidency is 35 years old, while you need to be at least 30 years old to participate in the elections for the US Senate. The age requirements for the House of Representatives are much more lenient – you only need to be 25 or more to run for a seat in the lower chamber.
Hopefully, this article helped you understand the age of candidacy laws in the United States of America and brought you one step closer to making an informed decision about your political future!
