He was a long-shot candidate with no prior political experience, and so very few people noticed when Aaron Coleman announced he was running for governor of Kansas last July. Those he told did not take him seriously — he could not even vote in the last election.

But in Kansas, there are no minimum age restrictions to run and at 17, Mr. Coleman is one of six teenagers who have announced their bids in the last year to become chief executive of the state.

Now, amid significant interest in their novel candidacies, some state lawmakers are clamoring to reform the eligibility process. The attention could create a carnival-like note to the race, and some lawmakers are calling for clearer election guidelines.

This week, the Kansas House moved a bill out of committee that would require that candidates for governor fit two criteria: to be eligible to vote in the state and to be a state resident for at least four years.