Anyone who has fulfilled certain requirements can run for office to be the United States P.
The 4 Requirements Are:
- To be a .
- To be a minimum age of 35 years old.
- To have been a resident of the United States for 14 years.
- To have not served for 2 terms previously as president.
So although we may usually end up with a real choice between a Nominee and a Republican Party Nominee, the original field is broad for a .
Academic Qualifications To Become
There are zero academic qualifications to become the United States . You may have a Law degree from Harvard or not have finished school. Everyone has an equal right to run for regardless of their qualifications.
Requirements To Become United States
While you might expect a massive list of so that we get the best possible candidates, that isn’t the case.
A lack of amendments to the means that the only qualifications relate to residency, a minimum age, and previous terms in office.
Additionally, you must be a . From there, pretty much anyone can put themselves forward.
There is nothing about upper age limits, health, or criminal convictions. You have to meet the minimum requirements, get on the ballot, and then you can hope for the nomination.
2020 P
2020 was the perfect year for highlighting the lack of restrictions and the potential need for further amendments.
The final candidates for the Republicans and Democrats were reality TV star and 78-year-old .
Biden has previous political experience. Therefore, the race for the presidency felt like a logical career move.
After one term in the White House, had the experience, but nothing before that.
Meanwhile, Kanye West put himself in the running, showing that anyone that wants to run can at least try. The reason for this comes down to the wording of the .
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
Article II, Section 1, Clause 5
How To Run for
Article 2, addresses the constitutional requirements for running for and .
It applied to the role at the time of the formation of the USA and remains in place today. The article states the following three clauses:
- First, the has to be a .
- The has to have a minimum age of at least 35 years old
- The must have been a United States resident for 14 years.
These three key points highlight potential issues with the process. For example, the third requirement caused a furor about ‘s certificate during his race for the White House.
Fun Fact: ex-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson could run for president if he moved to the US, reclaimed his dual citizenship, and waited 14 years.
A
Furthermore, there are some interesting questions about the term “natural-born .”
United States territories don’t have the same rights as states but allow US citizenship for children born there.
For example, those born in Puerto Rico after 1940 are natural-born citizens and eligible to run for .
However, military bases in foreign countries aren’t considered US soil, so children born there aren’t natural-born citizens. Instead, they gain citizenship from their parents. Subsequently, they cannot run for because their birthplace is not considered US soil.
Other Important Criteria Aren’t Taken Into Consideration
There are factors that the American public would consider highly important when choosing a , yet they aren’t mentioned in the current regulations and guidelines.
This includes:
- An upper age limit for candidates.
- The health of the .
- The possession of a criminal record.
Age of
There is no upper age limit for the . Age has garnered criticism because of the negative implications of swearing in a senior .
was 78, and there are questions about why the Democrats couldn’t have found a younger, fitter, more relatable .
The and the say that if is unfit to be , the will step up to be the .
How old do you have to be to run for ?
There is no upper age to run for so that you could be the oldest person on earth.
There is a minimum age to run for , which is 35.
Medical Health Issues
A related concern is that presidential candidates don’t have to publicize their medical history or information about current health issues.
While there is an argument for allowing candidates their privacy, others argue that it helps know candidates are fit for office.
That doubt increases when your candidates are 74 and 78. A medical exam requirement could put voters’ minds at ease and lead to discrimination against specific disabilities and mental health conditions.
Example of Presidents with Health Conditions when they took Office
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Roosevelt had a number of health issues, including paralysis from polio, heart disease, and high blood pressure. During his four terms in office, he worked hard to conceal the extent of his disabilities from the public.
John F. Kennedy: Kennedy suffered from a number of health problems, including Addison’s disease, colitis, and chronic back pain. He was also taking a variety of medications to manage these conditions. Despite this, he was able to maintain the image of a youthful and vigorous leader during his presidency.
Woodrow Wilson: Wilson suffered a severe stroke while in office in 1919, which left him partially paralyzed and unable to perform many of his duties. This was not disclosed to the public at the time, and his wife Edith took on many of his responsibilities in secret.
Grover Cleveland: Cleveland was diagnosed with cancer of the jaw in 1893, but he was able to conceal the extent of his illness from the public until after he had already been elected to a second term.
Dwight D. Eisenhower: Eisenhower suffered a heart attack in 1955 while in office. The extent of his illness was not fully disclosed at the time, and he continued to serve as President until the end of his term.
A US With a Criminal Record
Nothing prevents you from assuming the role if you have a criminal record. This surprises some voters who expect their candidates to respect the law and be model citizens.
While some voters could overlook some minor state-level crimes that are inconsequential, more significant federal crimes may be looked at more harshly by voters during the election.
There has never been a US President who has a criminal record before taking office.
The 22nd Amendment on the Maximum Number of Terms in Office
Initially, there was no limit to the number of terms that a could stand for. However, as George Washington stood twice, there was an unwritten agreement that any president would stand down after two terms.
This changed with Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected to office in the on four occasions. The 22nd Amendment discusses the number of terms a can serve.
The 22nd Amendment came into effect via ratification on 27 February 1951. It states that a may only be elected to the office of for a total of two terms or eight years.
These terms don’t have to be consecutive, but you can’t run for a third. The Amendment came about after the four-term presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
could return.
It is unclear if will attempt to run again in 2024 or head back into other ventures. If he wanted to, the 22nd Amendment would allow him the right to put his name forward and try again.
Get Smarter on US News, History, and the Constitution
On the other hand, won two terms back-to-back, so he is ineligible to run again no matter how many votes he receives.
Qualified Candidates Face a Simple Process To Run for US
If you meet all of the criteria, running for is surprisingly streamlined. There is a 4-step process to run when you meet the requirements.
- Fill out a statement of candidacy form – something not always necessary unless you’ve received more than $5,000 to fund your bid.
- Get on the ballot for your chosen party or as an independent.
- You can participate in political debates to get the in the primaries. You would usually also run the ticket with a .
- If you win the nomination, you can continue on the trail and wait for the final from the .
Minimal Requirements and Qualifications
In short, the presidential requirements and qualifications are short, sweet, and relatively unchanged from the days of the constitution.
So if you are a natural-born with 14 years of residency, are over 35, haven’t served two terms before, and are willing to go through the process, you have a chance (however slight) to get elected.
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Age | Must be at least 35 years old |
| Citizenship | Must be a natural-born citizen of the United States |
| Residency | Must have been a resident of the United States for at least 14 years prior to running for office |
| Political Experience | No formal political experience is required, but many presidents have held political offices before |
| Education | No specific education requirements, but many presidents have advanced degrees |
| Campaign Finance Laws | Must comply with campaign finance laws and disclose all campaign contributions |
| Election Process | Must win a majority of the votes in the Electoral College to be elected president |
| Term Limits | Can only serve two terms as president, as mandated by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution |
| Oath of Office | Must take the oath of office to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States” |
Can anybody become president?
Although there are minimal requirements to become president, it is still tough to become president as many stumbling blocks are in the way.
Here are some things that will make your bid become more successful:
Be affiliated with a major political party
Two major political parties have generally dominated United States elections.
Only two candidates have ever won a presidential election without being affiliated with a political party. They are George Washington and John Adams.
This likely happened as they were the first two presidents and stood before the two-party system was as strong.
In modern times, one of the unwritten requirements is that you belong to one of the two major political parties to win the election to become president.
Have access to campaign financing.
Running as a presidential candidate requires access to a large amount of money to run a campaign.
This money is spent on advertising, staff salaries, travel, and other campaign-related expenses. If you don’t have it, you are unlikely to succeed.
This is how much has been spent by presidential candidates on campaigns in the last few elections:
2020 Presidential Elections
Joe Biden spent approximately $1.1 billion.
Donald Trump spent approximately $1.5 billion.
2016 Presidential Elections
Hillary Clinton spent approximately $1.2 billion.
Donald Trump spent approximately $600 million.
2012 Presidential Elections
Barack Obama spent approximately $1 billion.
Mitt Romney spent approximately $800 million.
Quiz about the Requirements and Qualifications To Become the US President
If you would like to download a PDF with our quiz, then please go to:
Alternatively, you can take our online quiz here:
