Table 4.20

Attorneys General: Qualifications for Office


FIPS State or other
jurisdiction
Minimum age U.S. citizen
(years) (b)
State
resident
(years) (b)
Qualified
voter (years)
Licensed
attorney (years)
Membership in
the state bar
(years)
Method of
selection to
office
01Alabama2575

E
02Alaska18

A
04Arizona25105

5

E
05Arkansas18

E
06California18

5E
08Colorado252

E
09Connecticut18

10

10E
10Delaware

E
12Florida307

5E
13Georgia25104

7

7E
15Hawaii11

(d)A
16Idaho302

E
17Illinois253

E
18Indiana1822

5

E
19Iowa18

E
20Kansas

E
21Kentucky302 (e)

8

E
22Louisiana255

E
23Maine

(f)
24Maryland✓(g)

10E
25Massachusetts185

E
26Michigan21

E
27Minnesota2130 days

E
28Mississippi265

5

E
29Missouri1

E
30Montana252

5

E
31Nebraska18

E
32Nevada252

E
33New Hampshire

A (h)
34New Jersey18

A
35New Mexico305

E
36New York305

(i)

E
37North Carolina21

(i)E
38North Dakota255

E
39Ohio18

E
40Oklahoma3110

E
41Oregon18

E
42Pennsylvania30

E
44Rhode Island18

E
45South Carolina30 days

E
46South Dakota18

(i)

(i)E
47Tennessee

(j)
48Texas181

(i)

(i)E
49Utah255 (e)

E
50Vermont18

E
51Virginia301 (k)

5 (k)E
53Washington18

E
54West Virginia255

E
55Wisconsin

E
56Wyoming18

4

4A (l)
11Dist. of Columbia18

A
60American Samoa(c)

(i)

(i)A
66Guam30

A
69CNMI*353

5

A
72Puerto Rico21

A
78U.S. Virgin Islands

A

Source:

The Council of State Governments' survey of attorneys general offices, 2023.

Notes:

* Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.
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 statute specifically requires this, but the State Bar Act can be interpreted as making this a qualification.

(d)

No period specified, all licensed attorneys are members of the state bar

(e)

State citizenship requirement

(f)

Chosen biennially by joint ballot of state senators and representatives

(g)

Crosse v. Board of Supervisors of Elections 243 Md. 555, 221A.2d431 (1966)–opinion rendered indicated that U.S. citizenship was, by necessity, a requirement for office.

(h)

Appointed by the governor and confirmed by the governor and the executive council.

(i)

Implied

(j)

Appointed by state supreme court.

(k)

Same as qualifications of a judge of a court of record.

(l)

Must be confirmed by the Senate.