Age of candidacy laws in the United States
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This article delineates the age of candidacy laws of the federal government and individual states of the United States. The US has historically had minimum age requirements for many positions, ranging from President to local members of city council. While there is no maximum age limit or point of forced retirement—other countries like Canada enforce retirement ages on judges[1] and senators[2]—there are term limits in some cases, most notably a limit of two full terms for the President of the United States.
Federal government
Under the Constitution of the United States, a person must be aged 35 or over to serve as president. To be a senator, a person must be aged 30 or over. To be a Representative, a person must be aged 25 or older. This is specified in the U.S. Constitution.
The US Constitution does not specify an age requirements for one to serve on the Supreme Court.[3]
There are no specified age requirements to serve in a presidential cabinet.[4]
State government
Most states in the U.S. have age requirements for the offices of Governor, State Senator, and State Representative. Some states have a minimum age requirement to hold any elected office (usually 21 or 18).
| State | Governor | Upper house | Lower house | Lieutenant governor | Attorney general | Secretary of state | Treasurer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Alaska | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 18* | N.A. | 18* |
| Arizona | 25 | 25 | 25 | N.A. | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Arkansas | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 18* | 18* | 18 |
| California | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* |
| Colorado | 30 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Connecticut | 30 | 18* | 18* | 30 | 18 | None | 18* |
| Delaware | 30 | 27 | 24 | 30 | None | None | None |
| Florida | 30 | 21 | 21 | 30 | 30 | None | 25 |
| Georgia | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 18* |
| Hawaii | 30 | 25 | 18 | 30 | None | N.A. | None |
| Idaho | 30 | 18* | 18* | 30 | 30 | 25 | 25 |
| Illinois | 25[5] | 21 | 21 | 25[5] | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Indiana | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 18[6] | 18* | |
| Iowa | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 18 | 18* | |
| Kansas | 25[7] | 18* | 18* | 25[7] | None | None | |
| Kentucky | 30[8] | 30 | 24[8] | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Louisiana | 30 | 30 | 18 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Maine | 30 [9] | 25* | 21* | N.A. | None | None | |
| Maryland | 30[10] | 25[10] | 21[10] | 30[10] | 18* | 18* | |
| Massachusetts | 25[11] | 25 | 18 | 18* | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Michigan | 30[12] | 21[12] | 21[12] | 30[12] | 21[6] | 18* | |
| Minnesota | 25 | 21 | 21 | 25[13] | 21 | 21 | |
| Mississippi | 30 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 26 | 25 | 25 |
| Missouri | 30 | 30 | 24 | 30 | None | None | |
| Montana | 25 | None | None | 25 | 25 | 25 | |
| Nebraska | 30 | 21 | N.A. | 30 | 18[6] | None | |
| Nevada | 25 | 21 | 21 | 25 | 18* | 18* | 18* |
| New Hampshire | 30[14] | 30[14] | 18[14] | N.A. | 18* | 18* | |
| New Jersey | 30[15] | 30[15] | 21 | 30 | None | None | |
| New Mexico | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| New York | 30[16] | 18[16] | 18[16] | 30[16] | 30 | None | 30 |
| North Carolina | 30[17] | 25[18] | 21[19] | 30[17] | 21[6] | 21 | 21 |
| North Dakota | 30 | 19* | 18* | 30 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Ohio | 18 | 18 | 18 | None | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Oklahoma | 31[20] | 25[20] | 21[20] | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 |
| Oregon | 30 | 21 | 21 | N.A. | 18 | 18 | |
| Pennsylvania | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 30 | None | None |
| Rhode Island | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| South Carolina | 30[21] | 25[22] | 21[22] | 30 | 18* | 18* | |
| South Dakota | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | None | None | |
| Tennessee | 30 | 30 | 21[23] | 30† | 18 | None | |
| Texas | 30 | 26 | 21 | 30 | 18 | 18* | 18* |
| Utah | 30 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 25 | N.A. | 25 |
| Vermont | None[24][25] | None | None | None | 18[6] | None | |
| Virginia | 30[26] | 21[27] | 21[27] | 30 | 30 | 18* | 18* |
| Washington | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* |
| West Virginia | 30 | 18 | 18 | N.A. | 25 | 18* | 18 |
| Wisconsin | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18 |
| Wyoming | 30 | 25 | 21 | N.A. | 18* | 25 | 25 |
* Qualified elector/registered voter requirement.
† State Senate membership requirement.
N.A. implies that such a position does not exist in that state.
Alaska
- Any public office: at least 30 (qualified voter requirement)[28]
Arizona
- Any public office: at least 18[29]
California
Colorado
- Any public office: at least 21[citation needed]
Georgia
- Any public office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[36]
Hawaii
- Neighborhood Board Member: 18[citation needed]
Idaho
- Mayor: at 18[37]
Illinois
Indiana
- Mayor: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[39]
Iowa
- Any elected office: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[40]
Louisiana
- Treasurer: 25[citation needed]
- School Board Member: 18 (qualified voter requirement) [41]
Maryland
Massachusetts
- Most offices: 18[citation needed]
Michigan
- Governor or Lieutenant Governor: 30[citation needed]
- State Senate or State House: 21[citation needed]
- Judge: Licensed to practice law[citation needed]
- All other offices: 18 (must be a registered and qualified elector)[citation needed]
Minnesota
- Many offices: 21[43]
Montana
- Mayor: at least 21[44]
Nebraska
Nevada
- Any public office: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[45]
New Mexico
- Most offices: 18 (qualified elector requirement)[46]
New York
North Carolina
- Many offices: 30, 25, 21[19]
- Nonpartisan municipal offices: 60 (qualified voter requirement)[48]
- https://www.ncsbe.gov/candidates/filing-candidacy/general-candidate-requirements
North Dakota
- Mayor/council: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[49]
Oklahoma
- State, county, and municipal public offices: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[50]
Oregon
- Sheriff: 21[citation needed]
- Other county and local offices: 18[51]
- Justice of the Peace: 18[citation needed]
Pennsylvania
- Mayors of Third-Class Cities: 18[52]
Rhode Island
- Any elected office: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[53]
South Carolina
- Judicial: 32[54]
South Dakota
- Public Utilities Commissioner: 25[citation needed]
- Mayor/alderman: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[55]
Tennessee
- Supreme Court Judge: 35[citation needed]
- Other state judges: 30[citation needed]
- County mayor/county executive: 30[citation needed]
- Sheriff: 25[citation needed]
- Constable: 21[citation needed]
- County School Board Member: 18 (registered voter requirement)[citation needed]
- State House of Representatives: 21[citation needed]
- State Senate: 30[citation needed]
- Governor: 30[citation needed]
Texas
- Any public office: at least 19 (qualified voter requirement)[56]
Vermont
Virginia
- Any office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[59]
Washington
- Any office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[60]
Wisconsin
- Any city office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[61]
Wyoming
- Any municipal office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[62]
Local government
Many states require elected municipal officers to be over 18 years of age or be a registered voter in the city thereof. Montana requires mayors to be at least 21 years of age.
As of November 2016, most U.S. cities with populations exceeding 200,000 required their mayor to be a registered voter in the city thereof or at least 18 years of age. Here are the following exceptions:
- 30 Years: Denver, CO; Honolulu, HI; Memphis, TN; Nashville, TN; St. Louis, MO[citation needed]
- 25 Years: Baltimore, MD; Colorado Springs, CO; Columbus, GA; Glendale, AZ; Kansas City, MO; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; Westminster, MD[citation needed]
- 21 Years: Louisville, KY, Oklahoma City, OK; Aurora, CO; Minneapolis, MN;[63] Saint Paul, MN[64]
- 19 Years: Hialeah, FL (qualified voter requirement + 1 year of residence)[citation needed]
- No age minimum listed or implied: Pittsburgh, PA; Wichita, KS; Jersey City, NJ; Buffalo, NY; Yonkers, NY; Troy, NC[citation needed]
- Data unavailable: Birmingham, AL; Newark, NJ[citation needed]