Republican Presidential Candidate Wants to Raise Minimum Voting Age to 25

Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy proposed to raise the minimum voting age to 25.

Ramaswamy said the three exceptions for Americans aged 18 to 24 would be those who serve in the military, work as emergency responders, or take a naturalization test, according to The Hill.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is proposing raising the legal voting age to 25 https://t.co/kAULbKximf

— CNN (@CNN) May 12, 2023

“When we lowered the voting age to 18 in this country, we did it in the context of a draft. We had a military draft that said if you were 18 years old, and you were old enough to serve the country, then by God, you should be old enough to vote,” Ramaswamy said.

“And I stand by that law. It was the right thing to do. I do not stand by a draft today. We have no reason for one,” he added.

“When I think about young Americans today, I see a deficit of national pride because I see a deficit of duty,” Ramaswamy said.

“I’m announcing my support for a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That amendment would raise the voting age in this country from 18 to 25, but still tell you that you can vote at 18,” Ramaswamy announced.

“If you either do service to this country six months in the military or six months as a first responder. Or else at least pass the same civics test that we make an immigrant pass to actually become a voting citizen in this country.”

WATCH:

Here is video of 2024 GOP Presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy supporting raising the national voting age to 25.

Anyone who wants to tax people between the ages of 18 and 24 without giving them a say in their representation is not fit for public office.

Like I keep saying,… pic.twitter.com/ALdmGT1g5j

— Ryan Shead (@RyanShead) May 12, 2023

“Funny thing happened last night when I expressed support for the constitutional amendment to raise the voting age to 25 (or else to require civics exam or national service at age 18). The younger people were, the more they seemed to like it,” Ramaswamy tweeted.

Funny thing happened last night when I expressed support for the constitutional amendment to raise the voting age to 25 (or else to require civics exam or national service at age 18). The younger people were, the more they seemed to like it. pic.twitter.com/3qhI1UYGuB

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) May 12, 2023

The Hill reported:

“The United States faces a 25% recruitment deficit in the military and just 16% of Gen Z say they’re proud to be American,” Ramaswamy said in a statement. “The absence of national pride is a serious threat to our Republic’s survival.”

“At a time when young Americans are taught to celebrate their differences, Civic Duty Voting — and in particular the service path — creates a sense of shared purpose and experience,” he added.

The conservative entrepreneur notes on his campaign website that while the Constitution prohibits discrimination based on race and gender, it does not “expressly guarantee universal voting.”

“This is intentional: we live in a Constitutional republic, not a direct democracy,” according to the site, which adds, “Voting is a privilege, and civic duty is a proper precondition for enjoying that privilege.”

The proposal would require a constitutional amendment, which Ramaswamy acknowledged represents a “high hurdle.” He also recognized that “not everyone will like this proposal.”

Newsmax added:

Ramaswamy’s campaign announced the biotech entrepreneur and “anti-woke” activist’s push for a U.S. Constitutional amendment promoting “civic duty voting,” which he announced in a news release and detailed during a campaign event in Urbandale, Iowa.

Revising the Constitution is no simple task, requiring overwhelming support in Congress and in state legislatures. Still, Ramaswamy said in his release that the “absence of national pride is a serious threat to the future of our country” and argued his proposal “can create a sense of shared purpose and responsibility amongst young Americans to become educated citizens.”

On Twitter during his Iowa event, Ramaswamy acknowledged, “I understand not everyone will like this proposal and that it will take persuasion to convince many of its merits, but I’m ready to take that on.”

At age 37, Ramaswamy is the youngest person competing for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination in a field that already includes several candidates in their 70s, including former President Donald Trump and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.