State legislature candidate requirements by state

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Each state requires candidates to meet certain qualifications in order to run for the state legislature. This article lists the minimum candidate requirements to run for legislative office in each state.

HIGHLIGHTS

As of 2025:

Twenty-three states allowed candidates under the age of 25 to run for both legislative chambers.

Forty-seven states required candidates for state legislature to be U.S. citizens.

Forty-two states required candidates to be qualified electors in the state they ran to represent.

Eight states had state residency requirements of less than one year.

Requirements to run for state legislature

The table below lists the minimum candidate requirements for state legislatures by state.

Requirements to run for state legislature as of 2025

State	Office	Age	District resident	Qualified elector	U.S. citizen	State resident
Alabama	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	1 day	3 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	1 day	3 years
Alaska	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
Arizona	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
	House	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
Arkansas	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
California	Senate	18	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
	House	18	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
Colorado	Senate	25	1 year	Not specified	Yes	1 year
	House	25	1 year	Not specified	Yes	1 year
Connecticut	Senate	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	House	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Delaware	Senate	27	1 year	Not specified	Not specified	3 years
	House	24	1 year	Not specified	Not specified	3 years
Florida	Senate	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	2 years
	House	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	2 years
Georgia	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
Hawaii	Senate	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	3 years
	House	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	3 years
Idaho	Senate	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
Illinois	Senate	21	2 years	Yes	Yes	2 years
	House	21	2 years	Yes	Yes	2 years
Indiana	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
Iowa	Senate	25	60 days	Not specified	Yes	1 year
	House	21	60 days	Not specified	Yes	1 year
Kansas	Senate	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	House	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kentucky	Senate	30	1 year	Not specified	Not specified	6 years
	House	24	1 year	Not specified	Not specified	2 years
Louisiana	Senate	18	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
	House	18	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
Maine	Senate	25	3 months	Not specified	5 years	1 year
	House	21	3 months	Not specified	5 years	1 year
Maryland	Senate	25	6 months	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	21	6 months	Yes	Yes	1 year
Massachusetts	Senate	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	5 years
	House	18	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
Michigan	Senate	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	House	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Minnesota	Senate	21	6 months	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	21	6 months	Yes	Yes	1 year
Mississippi	Senate	25	2 years	Yes	Yes	4 years
	House	21	2 years	Yes	Yes	4 years
Missouri	Senate	30	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
	House	24	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
Montana	Senate	18	6 months	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	18	6 months	Yes	Yes	1 year
Nebraska	Senate	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
Nevada	Senate	18	10 days	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	18	10 days	Yes	Yes	1 year
New Hampshire	Senate	30	Yes	Yes	Yes	7 years
	House	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	2 years
New Jersey	Senate	30	1 year	Yes	Yes	4 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
New Mexico	Senate	25	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	House	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
New York	Senate	18	1 year	Not specified	Yes	5 years
	House	18	1 year	Not specified	Yes	5 years
North Carolina	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
North Dakota	Senate	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 year
Ohio	Senate	18	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	18	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
Oklahoma	Senate	25	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	House	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Oregon	Senate	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
Pennsylvania	Senate	25	1 year	Not specified	Yes	4 years
	House	21	1 year	Not specified	Yes	4 years
Rhode Island	Senate	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	30 days
	House	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	30 days
South Carolina	Senate	25	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	House	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
South Dakota	Senate	21	Not specified	Yes	Yes	2 years
	House	21	Not specified	Yes	Yes	2 years
Tennessee	Senate	30	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	3 years
Texas	Senate	26	1 year	Yes	Yes	5 years
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	2 years
Utah	Senate	25	6 months	Yes	Yes	3 years
	House	25	6 months	Yes	Yes	3 years
Vermont	Senate	Not specified	1 year	Not specified	Not specified	2 years
	House	Not specified	1 year	Not specified	Not specified	2 years
Virginia	Senate	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	21	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 year
Washington	Senate	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	House	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
West Virginia	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	5 years
	House	18	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
Wisconsin	Senate	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	18	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 year
Wyoming	Senate	25	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year
	House	21	1 year	Yes	Yes	1 year

State senate membership requirements

Alabama

Members of the Alabama State Senate must be at least 25 years of age at the time of their election, registered voters, U.S. citizens for at least one day, residents of the State of Alabama for at least three years, and residents of their district at least one year prior to the general election.

Alaska

Article II, Section 2 of the Alaska Constitution states: "A member of the legislature shall be a qualified voter who has been a resident of Alaska for at least three years and of the district from which elected for at least one year, immediately preceding his filing for office. A senator shall be at least twenty-five years of age and a representative at least twenty-one years of age."

Arizona

Article 4, Part 2, Section 2 of the Arizona Constitution states: "No person shall be a member of the Legislature unless he shall be a citizen of the United States at the time of his election, nor unless he shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and shall have been a resident of Arizona at least three years and of the county from which he is elected at least one year before his election."

Arizona Statutes 16-311 and 16-312 state that all candidates seeking nomination via primary or write-in or must be qualified electors.

Arkansas

Article 5, Section 4 of the Arkansas Constitution states: "No person shall be a Senator or Representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States, nor any one who has not been for two years next preceding his election, a resident of this State, and for one year next preceding his election, a resident of the county or district whence he may be chosen. Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age."

Article 19, Section 3 of the Arkansas Constitution states: "No persons shall be elected to, or appointed to fill a vacancy in, any office who does not possess the qualifications of an elector."

California

According to Article IV of the California Constitution:

“

A person is ineligible to be a member of the Legislature unless the person is an elector and has been a resident of the legislative district for one year, and a citizen of the United States and a resident of California for 3 years, immediately preceding the election, and service of the full term of office to which the person is seeking to be elected would not exceed the maximum years of service permitted by subdivision (a) of this section.

”

Colorado

Article 5, Section 4 of the Colorado Constitution states:

“

No person shall be a representative or senator who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, who shall not be a citizen of the United States, and who shall not for at least twelve months next preceding his election, have resided within the territory included in the limits of the district in which he shall be chosen.

”

Connecticut

Article III, Section 3 of the Connecticut Constitution states: "The senate shall consist of not less than thirty and not more than fifty members, each of whom shall have attained the age of twenty-one years and be an elector residing in the senatorial district from which he is elected."

Delaware

Article II, Section 3 of the Delaware Constitution states: "No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained the age of twenty-seven years and have been a citizen and inhabitant of the State three years next preceding the day of his or her election and the last year of that term an inhabitant of the Senatorial District in which he or she shall be chosen, unless he or she shall have been absent on the public business of the United States or of this State."

Florida

Article III, Section 15 of the Florida Constitution states: "Each legislator shall be at least twenty-one years of age, an elector and resident of the district from which elected and shall have resided in the state for a period of two years prior to election."

Georgia

Paragraph 3 of Section 2 of Article 3 of the Georgia Constitution states, "At the time of their election, the members of the Senate shall be citizens of the United States, shall be at least 25 years of age, shall have been citizens of this state for at least two years, and shall have been legal residents of the territory embraced within the district from which elected for at least one year."

GA Code § 21-2-8 states that an individual cannot hold public office if they are "not a qualified voter entitled to vote."

Hawaii

From Article III, Section 6 of the Hawaii Constitution: "No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the senate unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the senatorial district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent senator may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent senator’s term."

Idaho

Article III, Section 6 of the Idaho Constitution states: "No person shall be a senator or representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States, and an elector of this state, nor anyone who has not been for one year next preceding his election an elector of the county or district whence he may be chosen."

According to the Idaho Secretary of State, candidates must be 21 years old.

Illinois

Article IV of the Illinois Constitution states: "To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment a resident of the district which he is to represent."

65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5(a) states, "A person is not eligible for an elective municipal office unless that person is a qualified elector."

Indiana

To be eligible to serve in the Indiana State Senate:

“

Sec. 13. A candidate for the office of senator in the general assembly must: (1) be a United States citizen at the time of election; (2) have resided in the state for at least two (2) years and in the senate district for at least one (1) year before the election; and (3) be at least twenty-five (25) years old upon taking office; as provided in Article 4, Section 7 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

”

According to Indiana Code 3-8-1-1, all candidates must be registered voters.

Iowa

The Iowa Constitution states, "Senators shall be chosen for the term of four years, at the same time and place as representatives; they shall be twenty-five years of age, and possess the qualifications of representatives as to residence and citizenship."

Kansas

Section 4 of Article 2 of the Kansas Constitution states, "During the time that any person is a candidate for nomination or election to the legislature and during the term of each legislator, such candidate or legislator shall be and remain a qualified elector who resides in his or her district."

Kentucky

Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution states: "No person shall be a Senator who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of Kentucky, has not attained the age of thirty years, and has not resided in this State six years next preceding his election, and the last year thereof in the district for which he may be chosen."

Louisiana

According to Article III, Section 4, of the Louisiana Constitution, candidates must meet the following qualifications in order to run for the state legislature:

“

All candidates shall be qualified electors ... By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have attained the age of 18 years, resided in Louisiana for the preceding 2 years, and been actually domiciled for the preceding year in the legislative district from which the candidate seeks election. At the next regular election for members of the legislature following legislative reapportionment, an elector may qualify as a candidate from any district created in whole or in part from a district existing prior to reapportionment if he was domiciled in that prior district for at least 1 year immediately preceding his qualification and was a resident of Louisiana for the 2 years preceding his qualification.

”

Maine

Section 6 of Part 2 of Article 4 of the Maine Constitution states, "The Senators shall be 25 years of age at the commencement of the term, for which they are elected, and in all other respects their qualifications shall be the same as those of the Representatives."

Section 4 of Part 1 of Article 4 of the Maine Constitution states, "Qualifications; residency requirement. No person shall be a member of the House of Representatives, unless the person shall, at the commencement of the period for which the person is elected, have been 5 years a citizen of the United States, have arrived at the age of 21 years, have been a resident in this State one year; and for the 3 months next preceding the time of this person's election shall have been, and, during the period for which elected, shall continue to be a resident in the district which that person represents.

No person may be a candidate for election as a member of the House of Representatives unless, at the time of the nomination for placement on a primary, general or special election ballot, that person is a resident in the district which the candidate seeks to represent."

Maryland

Section 9 of Article 3 of the Maryland Constitution states, "A person is eligible to serve as a Senator or Delegate, who on the date of the person's election, (1) is a citizen of the State of Maryland, (2) has resided therein for at least one year next preceding that date, and (3) if the district that the person has been chosen to represent has been established for at least six months prior to the date of the person's election, has resided in that district for six months next preceding that date and, beginning January 1, 2024, has maintained a primary place of abode in that district for six months next preceding that date.

If the district that the person has been chosen to represent has been established less than six months prior to the date of the person's election, then in addition to (1) and (2) above, the person shall have resided in the district for as long as it has been established and, beginning January 1, 2024, shall have maintained a primary place of abode in the district for as long as it has been established.

A person is eligible to serve as a Senator, if the person has attained the age of twenty-five years, or as a Delegate, if the person has attained the age of twenty-one years, on the date of the person's election."

Section 12 of Article I of the Maryland Constitution states, [A] person is ineligible to enter upon the duties of, or to continue to serve in, an elective office created by or pursuant to the provisions of this Constitution if the person was not a registered voter in this State on the date of the person's election or appointment to that term or if, at any time thereafter and prior to completion of the term, the person ceases to be a registered voter."

Massachusetts

Article CI, Section 2 of the Massachusetts Constitution states: "Each district shall elect one senator, who shall have been an inhabitant of this Commonwealth five years at least immediately preceding his election and at the time of his election shall be an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen; and he shall cease to represent such senatorial district when he shall cease to be an inhabitant of the Commonwealth."

According to the Massachusetts Secretary of State's office, an individual must be a registered voter to run for office.

Michigan

Section 7 of Article 4 of the Michigan Constitution states, "Each senator and representative must be a citizen of the United States, at least 21 years of age, and an elector of the district he represents. The removal of his domicile from the district shall be deemed a vacation of the office. No person who has been convicted of subversion or who has within the preceding 20 years been convicted of a felony involving a breach of public trust shall be eligible for either house of the legislature."

Minnesota

To be eligible to run for the Minnesota State Senate, a candidate must:

• Be eligible to vote in Minnesota
• Be 21 years of age or more upon assuming office
• Be a resident of Minnesota for at least one year before the general election
• Be a resident of the legislative district for at least six months before the general election
• Have not filed for another office at the upcoming primary or general election
• Participated in the party's most recent precinct caucuses, or intend to vote for a majority of the party's candidates at the next general election (if major party candidate)

Mississippi

Section 42 of Article 4 of the Mississippi Constitution states, "No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, who shall not have been a qualified elector of the State four years, and who shall not be an actual resident of the district or territory he may be chosen to represent for two years before his election."

Missouri

To be eligible to serve in the Missouri State Senate, a candidate must meet the following qualifications:

“

Citizen of the United States Resident of the state 1 year next preceding election ... At least 30 years of age Qualified Missouri voter for 3 years before election Resident of the district which he is chosen to represent for 1 year before election ... Is not delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes, real property taxes on the place of residence as stated in the declaration of candidacy Is not a past or present corporate officer of any fee office that owes any taxes to the state Has not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under the federal laws of the United States of America Has not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under the laws of this state or an offense committed in another state that would be considered a felony in this state ... In addition to any other penalties provided by law, no person may file for any office in a subsequent election until he or the treasurer of his existing candidate committee has filed all required campaign disclosure reports for all prior elections

”

Montana

According to Part V, Section 4, of the Montana Constitution, in order to be eligible to serve in the Montana State Senate, "A candidate for the legislature shall be a resident of the state for at least one year next preceding the general election. For six months next preceding the general election, he shall be a resident of the county if it contains one or more districts or of the district if it contains all or parts of more than one county."

According to the Montana Secretary of State, candidates must be U.S. citizens.

Candidates must be registered voters in the state.

Nebraska

A candidate for the Nebraska Legislature must meet the following qualifications:

• Be registered to vote
• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be a resident of Nebraska, and specifically a resident of the legislative district he or she wishes to serve, for at least one year prior to the general election

Nevada

To be eligible to serve in the Nevada State Senate, a candidate must fulfill the following requirements:

“

A person is not eligible to be elected or appointed to office as a Legislator unless the person: 1. Is a qualified elector; 2. Has been an actual, as opposed to constructive, citizen resident of this State for 1 year next preceding the person’s election or appointment; 3. At the time of election or appointment, has attained the age of 21 years; and 4. Meets all other qualifications for the office as required by the Constitution and laws of this State.

”

To be a qualified elector, an individual must live in their specific voting precinct for ten days.

New Hampshire

To be eligible to serve in the New Hampshire State Senate, a candidate must be:

• At least 30 years of age
• A registered voter
• A resident of the state for seven years immediately preceding the election
• A resident of the district for which the candidate is running

New Jersey

In order to qualify as a candidate for the New Jersey State Senate, a candidate must:

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be 30 years of age or older by the day of swearing in
• Be a registered voter
• Reside in the state for a minimum of four years prior to the general election
• Reside in the legislative district for one year prior to the general election

New Mexico

Article 4, Section 3 of the New Mexico Constitution states:

“

Senators shall not be less than twenty-five years of age and representatives not less than twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. If any senator or representative permanently removes his residence from or maintains no residence in the district from which he was elected, then he shall be deemed to have resigned and his successor shall be selected as provided in Section 4 of this article. No person shall be eligible to serve in the legislature who, at the time of qualifying, holds any office of trust or profit with the state, county or national governments, except notaries public and officers of the militia who receive no salary.

”

The New Mexico State Legislature states that individuals must be U.S. citizens.

When signing the declaration of candidacy, candidates must affirm that they are registered to vote.

New York

Article 3, Section 7 of the New York Constitution states:

“

No person shall serve as a member of the legislature unless he or she is a citizen of the United States and has been a resident of the state of New York for five years, and, except as hereinafter otherwise prescribed, of the assembly or senate district for the twelve months immediately preceding his or her election; if elected a senator or member of assembly at the first election next ensuing after a readjustment or alteration of the senate or assembly districts becomes effective, a person, to be eligible to serve as such, must have been a resident of the county in which the senate or assembly district is contained for the twelve months immediately preceding his or her election.

”

North Carolina

Article 2, Section 6 of the North Carolina Constitution states:

“

Each Senator, at the time of his election, shall be not less than 25 years of age, shall be a qualified voter of the State, and shall have resided in the State as a citizen for two years and in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election.

”

North Dakota

Article 4, Section 5 of the North Dakota Constitution states:

“

Each individual elected or appointed to the legislative assembly must be, on the day of the election or appointment, a qualified elector in the district from which the member was selected and must have been a resident of the state for one year immediately prior to that election. An individual may not serve in the legislative assembly unless the individual lives in the district from which selected.

”

Ohio

Article 2, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution states: "Senators and representatives shall have resided in their respective districts one year next preceding their election, unless they shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this State."

Article 15, Section 4 of the Ohio Constitution states: "No person shall be elected or appointed to any office in this state unless possessed of the qualifications of an elector."

Article 2, Section 5 of the Ohio Constitution states: "No person hereafter convicted of an embezzlement of the public funds, shall hold any office in this state; nor shall any person, holding public money for disbursement, or otherwise, have a seat in the general assembly, until he shall have accounted for, and paid such money into the treasury."

Oklahoma

Article 5, Section 17 of the Oklahoma Constitution states: "Members of the Senate shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and members of the House of Representatives twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. They shall be qualified electors in their respective counties or districts and shall reside in their respective counties or districts during their term of office."

Oregon

According to Article IV, Section 8 of the Oregon Constitution, candidates for the Oregon State Legislature must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a citizen of the United States,
• Be at least 21 years of age,
• Be an inhabitant of the district from which the Senator or Representative may be chosen for at least one year preceding the election (or from January 1 if a reapportionment year),
• Not be convicted of a felony (unless the conviction happened prior to winning the election and the sentence received for the conviction is completed prior to the date that person would take office if elected.)

In 2022, Oregon voters approved Measure 113, which disqualifies legislators from seeking re-election if they accumulate more than 10 unexcused absences in a single legislative session.

Candidates must also be registered to vote.

Pennsylvania

Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution states:

“

Senators shall be at least 25 years of age and Representatives 21 years of age. They shall have been citizens and inhabitants of the State four years, and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless absent on the public business of the United States or of this State), and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service.

”

Rhode Island

A candidate for the Rhode Island General Assembly must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be a registered voter
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a state resident for at least 30 days preceding the election
• Be a resident of the district the candidate is running to represent

South Carolina

To be eligible to serve in the South Carolina State Senate a candidate must be:

• A U.S. citizen at the time of filing
• A registered voter
• 25 years old at the filing deadline time
• A resident of the district at the filing deadline time
• Not have been convicted of a felony or offense against election laws unless it has been 15 years since the completion of the sentence for the crime or unless the person has been pardoned

South Dakota

To be eligible to serve in the South Dakota State Legislature, a candidate must meet the following qualifications:

“

21 years old; 2 years residency; qualified voter; may not have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime; may not have illegally taken 'public moneys'

”

Tennessee

To be eligible to serve in the Tennessee State Senate, a candidate must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be at least 30 years old before the general election
• Have resided in Tennessee for at least 3 years before the general election
• Have resided in the county or district to be represented for at least 1 year, immediately preceding the election
• Be a qualified voter in the county or district to be represented

The following groups of people are ineligible to run for office:

• Those who have been convicted of offering or giving a bribe, or of larceny, or any other offense declared infamous by law, unless restored to citizenship in the mode pointed out by law;
• Those against whom there is a judgment unpaid for any moneys received by them, in any official capacity, due to the United States, to this state, or any county thereof;
• Those who are defaulters to the treasury at the time of the election (the election of any such person shall be void);
• Soldiers, seamen, marines, or airmen in the regular army or navy or air force of the United States; and
• Members of congress, and persons holding any office of profit or trust under any foreign power, other state of the union, or under the United States.

Texas

To be eligible to serve in the Texas State Senate, a candidate must be:

• A U.S. citizen
• A qualified elector
• 26 years old before the general election
• A five-year resident of Texas before the general election
• A district resident for one year prior to the general election

Utah

To be eligible to serve in the Utah State Senate, a candidate must be:

• A U.S. citizen,
• At least 25 years old,
• A three-year resident of Utah,
• A resident for 6 months of the relevant senate district, and
• A qualified voter.

In addition, eligible candidates cannot:

• Have been convicted of certain crimes, or
• Hold a public office of profit or trust.

Vermont

The Vermont Constitution states, "No person shall be elected a Representative or a Senator until the person has resided in this State two years, the last year of which shall be in the legislative district for which the person is elected."

Virginia

In order to serve in the Virginia General Assembly, candidates must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a citizen of the United States.
• Be at least twenty-one years of age on or before the date of the general or special election for the office sought
• Be a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the year immediately preceding the election
• Be a resident of the district they are seeking to represent
• Be a qualified voter in the district they are seeking to represent
• Not have been convicted of a felony (unless voting rights have been officially restored)
• Not have been adjudicated mentally incompetent (unless voting rights have been officially restored)

Washington

Section 7 of Article 2 of the Washington State Constitution states, "No person shall be eligible to the legislature who shall not be a citizen of the United States and a qualified voter in the district for which he is chosen."

West Virginia

Section 12 of Article 6 of the West Virginia Constitution states, "No person shall be a senator or delegate who has not for one year next preceding his election, been a resident within the district or county from which he is elected; and if a senator or delegate remove from the district or county for which he was elected, his seat shall be thereby vacated."

Section 4 of Article IV states senators must be at least 25 years old.

Section 13 of Article 6 of the West Virginia Constitution states, "No person holding any other lucrative office or employment under this state, the United States, or any foreign government; no member of Congress; and no person who is sheriff, constable, or clerk of any court of record, shall be eligible to a seat in the Legislature."

The West Virginia Secretary of State states that all candidates must be individuals entitled to vote and must be citizens of West Virginia for at least five years prior to seeking election.

Wisconsin

Section 6 of Article 4 of the Wisconsin Constitution states, "No person shall be eligible to the legislature who shall not have resided one year within the state, and be a qualified elector in the district which he may be chosen to represent."

Wyoming

Section 2 of Article 3 of the Wyoming Constitution states, "No person shall be a senator who has not attained the age of twenty-five years, or a representative who has not attained the age of twenty-one years, and who is not a citizen of the United States and of this state and who has not, for at least twelve months next preceding his election resided within the county or district in which he was elected."

Candidates must be qualified electors.

State house membership requirements

Alabama

Members of the Alabama State House must be 21 years old at the time of their election, registered voters, U.S. citizens for at least one day, residents of the State of Alabama for at least three years, and residents of their district at least one year prior to the general election.

Alaska

Article II, Section 2 of the Alaska Constitution states: "A member of the legislature shall be a qualified voter who has been a resident of Alaska for at least three years and of the district from which elected for at least one year, immediately preceding his filing for office. A senator shall be at least twenty-five years of age and a representative at least twenty-one years of age."

Arizona

Article 4, Part 2, Section 2 of the Arizona Constitution states: "No person shall be a member of the Legislature unless he shall be a citizen of the United States at the time of his election, nor unless he shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and shall have been a resident of Arizona at least three years and of the county from which he is elected at least one year before his election."

Arizona Statutes 16-311 and 16-312 state that all candidates seeking nomination via primary or write-in or must be qualified electors.

Arkansas

Article 5, Section 4 of the Arkansas Constitution states: "No person shall be a Senator or Representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States, nor any one who has not been for two years next preceding his election, a resident of this State, and for one year next preceding his election, a resident of the county or district whence he may be chosen. Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age."

Article 19, Section 3 of the Arkansas Constitution states: "No persons shall be elected to, or appointed to fill a vacancy in, any office who does not possess the qualifications of an elector."

California

According to Article IV of the California Constitution:

“

A person is ineligible to be a member of the Legislature unless the person is an elector and has been a resident of the legislative district for one year, and a citizen of the United States and a resident of California for 3 years, immediately preceding the election, and service of the full term of office to which the person is seeking to be elected would not exceed the maximum years of service permitted by subdivision (a) of this section.

”

Colorado

Article 5, Section 4 of the Colorado Constitution states:

“

No person shall be a representative or senator who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, who shall not be a citizen of the United States, and who shall not for at least twelve months next preceding his election, have resided within the territory included in the limits of the district in which he shall be chosen.

”

Connecticut

Article III, Section 4 of the Connecticut Constitution states: "The house of representatives shall consist of not less than one hundred twenty-five and not more than two hundred twenty-five members, each of whom shall have attained the age of twenty-one years and be an elector residing in the assembly district from which he is elected."

Delaware

Article II, Section 3 of the Delaware Constitution states: "No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained the age of twenty-four years, and have been a citizen and inhabitant of the State three years next preceding the day of his or her election, and the last year of that term an inhabitant of the Representative District in which he or she shall be chosen, unless he or she shall have been absent on the public business of the United States or of this State."

Florida

Article III, Section 15 of the Florida Constitution states: "Each legislator shall be at least twenty-one years of age, an elector and resident of the district from which elected and shall have resided in the state for a period of two years prior to election."

Georgia

Paragraph 3 of Section 2 of Article 3 of the Georgia Constitution states, "At the time of their election, the members of the House of Representatives shall be citizens of the United States, shall be at least 21 years of age, shall have been citizens of this state for at least two years, and shall have been legal residents of the territory embraced within the district from which elected for at least one year."

GA Code § 21-2-8 states that an individual cannot hold public office if they are "not a qualified voter entitled to vote."

Hawaii

From Article III, Section 6 of the Hawaii Constitution: "No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the house of representatives unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the representative district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent representative may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent representative’s term."

Idaho

Article III, Section 6 of the Idaho Constitution states: "No person shall be a senator or representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States, and an elector of this state, nor anyone who has not been for one year next preceding his election an elector of the county or district whence he may be chosen."

According to the Idaho Secretary of State, candidates must be 21 years old.

Illinois

Article IV of the Illinois Constitution states: "To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment a resident of the district which he is to represent."

65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5(a) states, "A person is not eligible for an elective municipal office unless that person is a qualified elector."

Indiana

To be eligible to serve in the Indiana House of Representatives:

“

Sec. 14. A candidate for the office of representative in the general assembly must: (1) be a United States citizen at the time of election; (2) have resided in the state for at least two (2) years and in the house district for at least one (1) year before the election; and (3) be at least twenty-one (21) years old upon taking office; as provided in Article 4, Section 7 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

”

According to Indiana Code 3-8-1-1, all candidates must be registered voters.

Iowa

The Iowa Constitution states, "No person shall be a member of the house of representatives who shall not have attained the age of twenty-one years, be a citizen of the United States, and shall have been an inhabitant of this state one year next preceding his election, and at the time of his election shall have had an actual residence of sixty days in the county, or district he may have been chosen to represent."

Kansas

Section 4 of Article 2 of the Kansas Constitution states, "During the time that any person is a candidate for nomination or election to the legislature and during the term of each legislator, such candidate or legislator shall be and remain a qualified elector who resides in his or her district."

Kentucky

Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution states: "No person shall be a Representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of Kentucky, has not attained the age of twenty-four years, and who has not resided in this State two years next preceding his election, and the last year thereof in the county, town or city for which he may be chosen."

Louisiana

According to Article III, Section 4, of the Louisiana Constitution, candidates must meet the following qualifications in order to run for the state legislature:

“

All candidates shall be qualified electors ... By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have attained the age of 18 years, resided in Louisiana for the preceding 2 years, and been actually domiciled for the preceding year in the legislative district from which the candidate seeks election. At the next regular election for members of the legislature following legislative reapportionment, an elector may qualify as a candidate from any district created in whole or in part from a district existing prior to reapportionment if he was domiciled in that prior district for at least 1 year immediately preceding his qualification and was a resident of Louisiana for the 2 years preceding his qualification.

”

Maine

Section 4 of Part 1 of Article 4 of the Maine Constitution states, "Qualifications; residency requirement. No person shall be a member of the House of Representatives, unless the person shall, at the commencement of the period for which the person is elected, have been 5 years a citizen of the United States, have arrived at the age of 21 years, have been a resident in this State one year; and for the 3 months next preceding the time of this person's election shall have been, and, during the period for which elected, shall continue to be a resident in the district which that person represents.

No person may be a candidate for election as a member of the House of Representatives unless, at the time of the nomination for placement on a primary, general or special election ballot, that person is a resident in the district which the candidate seeks to represent."

Maryland

Section 9 of Article 3 of the Maryland Constitution states, "A person is eligible to serve as a Senator or Delegate, who on the date of the person's election, (1) is a citizen of the State of Maryland, (2) has resided therein for at least one year next preceding that date, and (3) if the district that the person has been chosen to represent has been established for at least six months prior to the date of the person's election, has resided in that district for six months next preceding that date and, beginning January 1, 2024, has maintained a primary place of abode in that district for six months next preceding that date.

If the district that the person has been chosen to represent has been established less than six months prior to the date of the person's election, then in addition to (1) and (2) above, the person shall have resided in the district for as long as it has been established and, beginning January 1, 2024, shall have maintained a primary place of abode in the district for as long as it has been established.

A person is eligible to serve as a Senator, if the person has attained the age of twenty-five years, or as a Delegate, if the person has attained the age of twenty-one years, on the date of the person's election."

Section 12 of Article I of the Maryland Constitution states, [A] person is ineligible to enter upon the duties of, or to continue to serve in, an elective office created by or pursuant to the provisions of this Constitution if the person was not a registered voter in this State on the date of the person's election or appointment to that term or if, at any time thereafter and prior to completion of the term, the person ceases to be a registered voter."

Massachusetts

Article CI, Section 1 of the Massachusetts Constitution states: "Every representative, for one year at least immediately preceding his election, shall have been an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen and shall cease to represent such district when he shall cease to be an inhabitant of the Commonwealth."

According to the Massachusetts Secretary of State's office, an individual must be a registered voter to run for office.

Michigan

Section 7 of Article 4 of the Michigan Constitution states, "Each senator and representative must be a citizen of the United States, at least 21 years of age, and an elector of the district he represents. The removal of his domicile from the district shall be deemed a vacation of the office. No person who has been convicted of subversion or who has within the preceding 20 years been convicted of a felony involving a breach of public trust shall be eligible for either house of the legislature."

Minnesota

To be eligible to run for the Minnesota House of Representatives, a candidate must:

• Be eligible to vote in Minnesota
• Be 21 years of age or more upon assuming office
• Be a resident of Minnesota for at least one year before the general election
• Be a resident of the legislative district for at least six months before the general election
• Have not filed for another office at the upcoming primary or general election
• Participated in the party's most recent precinct caucuses, or intend to vote for a majority of the party's candidates at the next general election (if major party candidate)

Mississippi

Section 41 of Article 4 of the Mississippi Constitution states, "No person shall be a member of the House of Representatives who shall not have attained the age of twenty-one (21) years, and who shall not be a qualified elector of the State, and who shall not have been a resident citizen of the State for four (4) years, and within the district such person seeks to serve for two (2) years, immediately preceding his election."

Missouri

To be eligible to serve in the Missouri House of Representatives, a candidate must meet the following qualifications:

“

Citizen of the United States Resident of the state 1 year next preceding election ... At least 24 years of age Qualified Missouri voter for 2 years before election Resident of the district which he is chosen to represent for 1 year before election ... Is not delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes, real property taxes on the place of residence as stated in the declaration of candidacy Is not a past or present corporate officer of any fee office that owes any taxes to the state Has not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under the federal laws of the United States of America Has not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under the laws of this state or an offense committed in another state that would be considered a felony in this state ... In addition to any other penalties provided by law, no person may file for any office in a subsequent election until he or the treasurer of his existing candidate committee has filed all required campaign disclosure reports for all prior elections

”

Montana

According to Part V, Section 4, of the Montana Constitution, in order to be eligible to serve in the Montana House of Representatives, "A candidate for the legislature shall be a resident of the state for at least one year next preceding the general election. For six months next preceding the general election, he shall be a resident of the county if it contains one or more districts or of the district if it contains all or parts of more than one county."

According to the Montana Secretary of State, candidates must be U.S. citizens.

Candidates must be registered voters in the state.

Nevada

To be eligible to serve in the Nevada State Senate, a candidate must fulfill the following requirements:

“

A person is not eligible to be elected or appointed to office as a Legislator unless the person: 1. Is a qualified elector; 2. Has been an actual, as opposed to constructive, citizen resident of this State for 1 year next preceding the person’s election or appointment; 3. At the time of election or appointment, has attained the age of 21 years; and 4. Meets all other qualifications for the office as required by the Constitution and laws of this State.

”

To be a qualified elector, an individual must live in their specific voting precinct for ten days.

New Hampshire

To be eligible to serve in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, a candidate must be:

• At least 18 years of age
• A registered voter
• A resident of the state for two years immediately preceding the election
• A resident of the town or ward the candidate is running to represent

New Jersey

In order to qualify as a candidate for the New Jersey General Assembly, a candidate must:

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be 21 years of age or older by the day of swearing in
• Be a registered voter
• Reside in the state for a minimum of two years prior to the general election
• Reside in the legislative district for one year prior to the general election

New Mexico

Article 4, Section 3 of the New Mexico Constitution states:

“

Senators shall not be less than twenty-five years of age and representatives not less than twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. If any senator or representative permanently removes his residence from or maintains no residence in the district from which he was elected, then he shall be deemed to have resigned and his successor shall be selected as provided in Section 4 of this article. No person shall be eligible to serve in the legislature who, at the time of qualifying, holds any office of trust or profit with the state, county or national governments, except notaries public and officers of the militia who receive no salary.

”

The New Mexico State Legislature states that individuals must be U.S. citizens.

When signing the declaration of candidacy, candidates must affirm that they are registered to vote.

New York

Article 3, Section 7 of the New York Constitution states:

“

No person shall serve as a member of the legislature unless he or she is a citizen of the United States and has been a resident of the state of New York for five years, and, except as hereinafter otherwise prescribed, of the assembly or senate district for the twelve months immediately preceding his or her election; if elected a senator or member of assembly at the first election next ensuing after a readjustment or alteration of the senate or assembly districts becomes effective, a person, to be eligible to serve as such, must have been a resident of the county in which the senate or assembly district is contained for the twelve months immediately preceding his or her election.

”

North Carolina

Article 2, Section 7 of the North Carolina Constitution states:

“

Each Representative, at the time of his election, shall be a qualified voter of the State, and shall have resided in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election.

”

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, candidates must be 21 years old.

North Dakota

Article 4, Section 5 of the North Dakota Constitution states:

“

Each individual elected or appointed to the legislative assembly must be, on the day of the election or appointment, a qualified elector in the district from which the member was selected and must have been a resident of the state for one year immediately prior to that election. An individual may not serve in the legislative assembly unless the individual lives in the district from which selected.

”

Ohio

Article 2, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution states: "Senators and representatives shall have resided in their respective districts one year next preceding their election, unless they shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this State."

Article 15, Section 4 of the Ohio Constitution states: "No person shall be elected or appointed to any office in this state unless possessed of the qualifications of an elector."

Article 2, Section 5 of the Ohio Constitution states: "No person hereafter convicted of an embezzlement of the public funds, shall hold any office in this state; nor shall any person, holding public money for disbursement, or otherwise, have a seat in the general assembly, until he shall have accounted for, and paid such money into the treasury."

Oklahoma

Article 5, Section 17 of the Oklahoma Constitution states: "Members of the Senate shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and members of the House of Representatives twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. They shall be qualified electors in their respective counties or districts and shall reside in their respective counties or districts during their term of office."

Oregon

According to Article IV, Section 8 of the Oregon Constitution, candidates for the Oregon State Legislature must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a citizen of the United States,
• Be at least 21 years of age,
• Be an inhabitant of the district from which the Senator or Representative may be chosen for at least one year preceding the election (or from January 1 if a reapportionment year),
• Not be convicted of a felony (unless the conviction happened prior to winning the election and the sentence received for the conviction is completed prior to the date that person would take office if elected.)

In 2022, Oregon voters approved Measure 113, which disqualifies legislators from seeking re-election if they accumulate more than 10 unexcused absences in a single legislative session.

Candidates must also be registered to vote.

Pennsylvania

Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution states:

“

Senators shall be at least 25 years of age and Representatives 21 years of age. They shall have been citizens and inhabitants of the State four years, and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless absent on the public business of the United States or of this State), and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service.

”

Rhode Island

A candidate for the Rhode Island General Assembly must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be a registered voter
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a state resident for at least 30 days preceding the election
• Be a resident of the district the candidate is running to represent

South Carolina

To be eligible to serve in the South Carolina House of Representatives, a candidate must be:

• A U.S. citizen at the time of filing
• A registered voter
• 21 years old at the filing deadline time
• A resident of the district at the filing deadline time
• Not have been convicted of a felony or offense against election laws unless it has been 15 years since the completion of the sentence for the crime or unless the person has been pardoned

South Dakota

To be eligible to serve in the South Dakota State Legislature, a candidate must meet the following qualifications:

“

21 years old; 2 years residency; qualified voter; may not have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime; may not have illegally taken 'public moneys'

”

Tennessee

To be eligible to serve in the Tennessee State Senate, a candidate must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be at least 21 years old before the general election
• Have resided in Tennessee for at least 3 years before the general election
• Have resided in the county or district to be represented for at least 1 year, immediately preceding the election
• Be a qualified voter in the county or district to be represented

The following groups of people are ineligible to run for office:

• Those who have been convicted of offering or giving a bribe, or of larceny, or any other offense declared infamous by law, unless restored to citizenship in the mode pointed out by law;
• Those against whom there is a judgment unpaid for any moneys received by them, in any official capacity, due to the United States, to this state, or any county thereof;
• Those who are defaulters to the treasury at the time of the election (the election of any such person shall be void);
• Soldiers, seamen, marines, or airmen in the regular army or navy or air force of the United States; and
• Members of congress, and persons holding any office of profit or trust under any foreign power, other state of the union, or under the United States.

Texas

To be eligible to serve in the Texas House of Representatives, a candidate must be:

• A U.S. citizen
• A qualified elector
• 21 years old before the general election
• A two-year resident of Texas before the general election
• A district resident for one year prior to the general election

Utah

To be eligible to serve in the Utah House of Representatives, a candidate must be:

• A U.S. citizen,
• At least 25 years old,
• A three-year resident of Utah,
• A resident for 6 months of the relevant house district, and
• A qualified voter.

In addition, eligible candidates cannot:

• Have been convicted of certain crimes, or
• Hold a public office of profit or trust.

Vermont

The Vermont Constitution states, "No person shall be elected a Representative or a Senator until the person has resided in this State two years, the last year of which shall be in the legislative district for which the person is elected."

Virginia

In order to serve in the Virginia General Assembly, candidates must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a citizen of the United States.
• Be at least twenty-one years of age on or before the date of the general or special election for the office sought
• Be a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the year immediately preceding the election
• Be a resident of the district they are seeking to represent
• Be a qualified voter in the district they are seeking to represent
• Not have been convicted of a felony (unless voting rights have been officially restored)
• Not have been adjudicated mentally incompetent (unless voting rights have been officially restored)

Washington

Section 7 of Article 2 of the Washington State Constitution states, "No person shall be eligible to the legislature who shall not be a citizen of the United States and a qualified voter in the district for which he is chosen."

West Virginia

Section 12 of Article 6 of the West Virginia Constitution states, "No person shall be a senator or delegate who has not for one year next preceding his election, been a resident within the district or county from which he is elected; and if a senator or delegate remove from the district or county for which he was elected, his seat shall be thereby vacated."

Section 13 of Article 6 of the West Virginia Constitution states, "No person holding any other lucrative office or employment under this state, the United States, or any foreign government; no member of Congress; and no person who is sheriff, constable, or clerk of any court of record, shall be eligible to a seat in the Legislature."

The West Virginia Secretary of State states that candidates must be 18 years of age and must be entitled to vote.

Wisconsin

Section 6 of Article 4 of the Wisconsin Constitution states, "No person shall be eligible to the legislature who shall not have resided one year within the state, and be a qualified elector in the district which he may be chosen to represent."

Wyoming

Section 2 of Article 3 of the Wyoming Constitution states, "No person shall be a senator who has not attained the age of twenty-five years, or a representative who has not attained the age of twenty-one years, and who is not a citizen of the United States and of this state and who has not, for at least twelve months next preceding his election resided within the county or district in which he was elected."

Candidates must be qualified electors.

See also

• Ballot access for major and minor party candidates
• State legislature