Ga. lawmaker wants to lower minimum age to run for office
By The Associated Press
Posted 12:01PM on Monday, January 12, 2015
ATLANTA (AP) A Georgia lawmaker believes people legally able to drink, vote and serve in the military should be allowed to run for a seat in the state Senate. <br />
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State Sen. Josh McKoon says he plans to introduce legislation this year lowering the minimum age for candidates from 25 to 21. McKoon says he was inspired by an 18-year-old elected to West Virginia's legislature in November. <br />
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You must be 21 to run for a seat in Georgia's House of Representatives. Making that change across the aisle would take a constitutional amendment. <br />
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Supporters say young people can best speak to their own issues, including college loan debt and high unemployment in the age group. <br />
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McKoon says he plans to seek co-sponsors for the bill on Monday as the legislative session begins in Atlanta.
