Table 4.16

Secretaries of State: Qualifications For Office


FIPS State or other
jurisdiction
Minimum age U.S. citizen
(years) (a)
State resident
(years) (b)
Qualified voter
(years)
Method of selection to
office
01Alabama*2575

E

02Alaska* (c)N/AN/AN/AN/A

N/A

04Arizona25105

E

05Arkansas18

E

06California18

E

08Colorado252

E

09Connecticut*18

E

10Delaware

A

12Florida (d)N/AN/AN/AN/A

A

13Georgia*25104

E

15Hawaii* (c)N/AN/AN/AN/A

N/A

16Idaho*252

E

17Illinois*253

E

18Indiana18

E

19Iowa18

E

20Kansas

E

21Kentucky*302

E

22Louisiana*2555

E

23Maine*

(e)

24Maryland*

A

25Massachusetts185

E

26Michigan18

E

27Minnesota*2130 days

E

28Mississippi255

E

29Missouri1

E

30Montana252

E

31Nebraska

E

32Nevada*2522

E

33New Hampshire18

(e)

34New Jersey*18

A

35New Mexico*305

E

36New York*18

A

37North Carolina21

E

38North Dakota2555

E

39Ohio*18

E

40Oklahoma*3110

A

41Oregon*18

E

42Pennsylvania*

A

44Rhode Island1830 days

E

45South Carolina

E

46South Dakota

E

47Tennessee*

(e)

48Texas*18

A

49Utah* (c)N/AN/AN/AN/A

N/A

50Vermont*18

E

51Virginia*

A

53Washington18

E

54West Virginia*5

E

55Wisconsin*18

E

56Wyoming251

E

60American Samoa* (c)N/AN/AN/AN/A

N/A

66Guam* (c)N/AN/AN/AN/A

N/A

69CNMI* ** (c)N/AN/AN/AN/A

N/A

72Puerto Rico*55

A

78U.S. Virgin Islands* (c)N/AN/AN/AN/A

N/A


Source:

The Council of State Governments' survey of secretaries of state offices, 2023.

Key:

* Information from The Council of State Governments’ survey of secretaries of state offices and review of state websites, 2022.
** Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.
N/A Not available.
Formal provision; number of years not specified.
No formal provision.
A Appointed by governor.
E Elected by voters.

Footnotes:

(a)

In some states you must be a U.S. citizen to be an elector and must be an elector to run.

(b)

In some states you must be a state resident to be an elector and must be an elector to run.

(c)

No secretary of state.

(d)

As of January 1, 2003, the office of Secretary of State shall be an appointed position (appointed by the governor). It will no longer be a cabinet position, but an agency head and the Department of State shall be an agency under the governor’s office.

(e)

Chosen by joint ballot of state senators and representatives. In Maine and New Hampshire, every two years. In Tennessee, every four years.