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The Daily Poll
Should there be an age limit for people running in elections?
In the US, politics is apparently an old man’s game.
LAST UPDATE | 1 Jun 2025
IN HIS VOICES article today, Larry Donnelly writes about how “very many of the key players in American politics are of advanced years”.
The ignominious end to the political career of former US president Joe Biden is the most obvious example of age getting the better of a key decision-maker, but as Larry points out, he’s not the only major American politician who is getting on in years.
From Donald Trump (78) to Chuck Schumer (74), there are plenty of examples.
Eight Democrats have died in office since 2022, and some still empty seats have cost them in close votes recently.
While it’s not quite the same picture on this side of the Atlantic, our own outgoing President Michael D Higgins is 84.
While there are minimum ages for candidates for different elected offices in Ireland, there are no age limits on the other end of the spectrum.
So it seems worth asking the question: Should there be an age limit for people running in elections?
Poll Results:
Yes (6299)
No (1682)
Not sure (366)
have your say