Voters in North Dakota overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that would set an age limit for politicians running for U.S. Congress, amid a broader national debate over aging politicians, including the two oldest major-party presidential candidates in history.
The measure, which amends the state constitution, bans anyone from running for or being appointed to a congressional seat if he or she turns 81 in the year before the end of their term.
Currently serving politicians include those aged 81 or older President Joe BidenSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Iowa Senator. Chuck Grassleyincluding former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Jim Clyburn.
Jared Hendrix, a Republican candidate for the state House who supported the ballot measure, told The New York Times ahead of Tuesday’s vote: “Most people think it’s common sense that politicians should retire at some point .”
In its current form, the amendment would not affect North Dakota’s federal lawmakers, the oldest of whom is 67. The measure is expected to go against a 1995 Supreme Court ruling that states cannot impose restrictions, such as term limits, on their representatives in parliament. federal government that goes beyond what the U.S. Constitution provides.
But the measure was passed after voters expressed major concerns about the age and cognitive abilities of the two leading presidential candidates. Biden is 81, and if re-elected, he would be 86 at the end of his second term. Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump turns 78 on Friday and if re-elected, he would be 82 years old when he leaves office.
The U.S. Constitution sets the minimum age for senators at 30, representatives of the House of Representatives at 25, and presidents at 35. But there are no maximum age limits and no term limits for Congress, and many senators and representatives have served in Congress for decades.
Incidents involving older members of Congress have fueled the debate over age limits, although it remains a deeply divisive and often taboo topic in politics and media reporting. Last year, several episodes featuring Sens. Dianne Feinstein, then 90, and McConnell, then 81, fueled fierce speculation about their health and ability to do their jobs.
Feinstein died in September as the oldest sitting senator. McConnell will step down as Senate leader in November, though he has said he will serve out his term until 2027, by which time he will be just shy of his 85th birthday.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
