House rejects bill lowering candidate's minimum age requirement

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Arguing that young people are radicals and spendthrifts, lawmakers narrowly rejected a proposal Thursday to ask voters if the minimum age for election to the Legislature should be lowered.

For more than 180 years, Missouri candidates have had to be at least 24 years old on election day to run for the state House and 30 to seek the state Senate. The proposed constitutional amendment by Rep. Tom Villa, D-St. Louis, would have lowered the minimum election-day age to 21 for both chambers.

But House members questioned if that was best, in light of the Missouri's tough budget picture. The measure was defeated on an announced vote of 77-66.

Quoting a study saying young people misuse credit cards, Rep. Carl Hendrickson, R-St. Louis, asked how young people would be able to balance a $19 billion budget.

Rep. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield, said lawmakers should have life experience before serving the public. "There's a difference between intelligence and wisdom," Purgason said.

Villa, 57, later dismissed those arguments.

"There's no test to be here. If there were, I don't know if I would be able to serve," said Villa, adding that many lawmakers have poor credit records. Villa brought the bill up at the request of some highly motivated college students interning with the Associated Students of the University of Missouri.