61 percent of Americans support age cap for presidential candidates: survey

Roughly 6 in 10 American voters in a new Quinnipiac University poll support an age cap as an eligibility requirement for presidential candidates. 

The poll found 61 percent of voters support a maximum age limit to be eligible to run for president, while 34 percent of voters do not back the idea. The results come amid continued concerns from Democrats and criticism from Republicans over President Biden’s age as he runs for another four years in office.

The proposal has support from voters on both sides of the aisle — with 60 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of Republicans approving. Sixty-six percent of independents also support an age cap.

Slightly higher shares said they support age limits for candidates to be eligible to run for the House and Senate: 66 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of Republicans and 71 percent of independents.

Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said the results “can only be perceived as a plea for younger blood in the corridors of power.” 

A plurality of voters — or 30 percent — said they want the age limit to sit at 70 years old, while 19 percent said 75 years old and 5 percent said 80 years old. Just 2 percent said 85 years old.  

Biden is 80 and would be 86 by the end of a hypothetical second term.  

The Quinnipiac poll also found that 68 percent of voters think Biden is too old to serve effectively for a second term, up a few points from 65 percent who said the same in May.  

Biden’s age has been a point of contention for his campaign and has spurred some Republican presidential candidates to argue that a vote for Biden is a vote for Vice President Harris to assume the role.  

But Biden’s campaign, the White House and Harris have all pushed back on the concerns, insisting that Biden is capable of handling his presidential responsibilities and would continue to do so into another four years.  

The front-runner of the GOP presidential race is former President Trump, who, at age 77, is just a few years younger than Biden. 

Sixty-three percent of voters in the Quinnipiac poll said they think Trump isn’t too old to serve another term, up from 59 percent in May.  

Conducted Sept. 7-11, the survey polled 1,726 self-identified registered voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.