(ReliableNews.org) – Americans across the country headed to the polls on November 7 for the off-year elections. In Texas, voters had an important decision to make about the judicial appointments. They rejected one ballot measure.
Proposition 13 was the only amendment that didn’t pass in Texas on election day. The measure sought to raise the mandatory retirement age for judges from 75 years old to 79. It also would have increased the minimum retirement age from 70 to 75. According to the amendment’s supporters, it would have allowed judges with more experience to serve longer terms.
The defeat of the amendment was shocking because there wasn’t an organized movement against it. Very few groups came out against the amendment, and a House Committee Report stated that raising the retirement age made sense because of “today’s longer life expectancies.”
The Texas Tribune reported that preliminary election results showed that more than 60% of voters disagreed with the House assessment.
The defeat in Texas comes amid a larger discussion about how old is too old as it relates to people serving in higher office. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) recently passed away at 90 years old. She was still serving in the Senate at the time of her death but repeatedly had to take time off for health issues. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has had two episodes during press conferences where he was suddenly unable to speak. He’s 81 years old.
Most notably, President Joe Biden is currently the oldest commander-in-chief in American history. On November 20, 2023, he will turn 81 years old, and if he is reelected, he will be 86 years old when his second term ends. An August poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found 77% of Americans believe the president is too old to run for office again, including 69% of Democrats.
The results in Texas show that age is still very much on the minds of the American people.
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