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
01Alabama*2575

E
02Alaska18

A
04Arizona25105

5

E
05Arkansas

E
06California*18

5E
08Colorado*272

E
09Connecticut18

10

10E
10Delaware

E
12Florida*307

5E
13Georgia*25104

7

7E
15Hawaii11

(d)A
16Idaho302

E
17Illinois*253

E
18Indiana22

5

E
19Iowa*18

E
20Kansas*

E
21Kentucky302 (e)

8

E
22Louisiana*255

E
23Maine*

(f)
24Maryland✓(g)

10E
25Massachusetts185

E
26Michigan18

E
27Minnesota2130 days

E
28Mississippi*265

5

E
29Missouri*1

E
30Montana*252

5

E
31Nebraska*

E
32Nevada*252

E
33New Hampshire*

A (h)
34New Jersey*18

A
35New Mexico*305

E
36New York*305

(i)

E
37North Carolina21

(i)E
38North Dakota255

E
39Ohio18

E
40Oklahoma*3110

E
41Oregon18

E
42Pennsylvania30

E
44Rhode Island*18

E
45South Carolina*30 days

E
46South Dakota*18

(i)

(i)E
47Tennessee*

(j)
48Texas1

(i)

(i)E
49Utah255 (e)

E
50Vermont18

E
51Virginia301 (k)

5 (k)E
53Washington*18

E
54West Virginia*255

E
55Wisconsin

E
56Wyoming*

4

4A (l)
11Dist. of Columbia*

A
60American Samoa*(c)

(i)

(i)A
66Guam*

A
69CNMI* **3

5

A
72Puerto Rico*

A
78U.S. Virgin Islands*

A

Source:

The Council of State Governments' survey of attorneys general offices, 2022.

Key:

* Information from The Council of State Governments’ survey of attorneys general offices and review of state websites, 2021.
** 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.