Election Notice: Tuesday, October 10, 2023 is the last day to register to vote for the November 7, 2023 Uniform Election  |  Visit VoteTexas.gov for more election information
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Qualifications for All Public Offices

Note: This chart provides a list of qualifications for all public offices that could appear on the ballot at a general election for state and county officers. This includes offices that may not be currently listed on the ballot. For a list of offices that will be on the ballot in 2020, please see Offices up for Election in 2020.

Public Office Sought
 U.S. Citizen Texas
Resident		 District
Resident		 Registered to Vote in Area of Office Sought

Minimum Age

 Practicing
Lawyer or Judge		 Source Law Term of Office
United States Senator 9 yrs.  Yes a not req’d not req’d 30 b _ I § 3 i 6 yrs.
United States Representative 7 yrs. Yes a not req'd not req’d 25 b - I § 2 i 2 yrs.
Governor Yes 5 yrs. - not req’d 30 b - IV § 4 i 4 yrs.
Lieutenant Governor Yes 5 yrs. - not req’d 30 b - IV § 16 i 4 yrs.
Attorney General Yes 12 mo c. - Yes c 18 g not req’d IV § 22 i 4 yrs.
Comptroller of Public Accounts Yes 12 mo c. - Yes c 18 g - IV § 23 i 4 yrs.
Commission of General Land Office Yes 12 mo c. - Yes c 18 g - IV § 23 i 4 yrs.
Commissioner of Agriculture Yes 12 mo c. - Yes c 18 g - IV § 23 i 4 yrs.
Railroad Commissioner Yes 12 mo c - Yes c 25 g - § 81.01003, 
 81.01004 j		 6 yrs.
Chief Justice & Justice, Supreme Court Yes 12 mo.c - Yes c 35 b 10 yrs.b V § 2 i 6 yrs.
Presiding Judge and Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Yes 12 mo.c - Yes c 35 b 10 yrs.b V § 4 i 6 yrs.
State Senator Yes 5 yrs. b 12 mo.b not req’d h 26 b - III § 6 i 4 yrs.
State Representative Yes 2 yrs.b 12 mo.b not req’d h 21 b - III § 7 i 2 yrs.
Member, State Board of Education Yes 12 mo.b 12 mo.b Yes c 26 b - § 7.103 k 4 yrs.
Chief Justice and Justice, Court of Appeals Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 35 b 10 yrs.b V § 6 i 6 yrs.
District Judge Yes 2 yrs.b 2 yrs.b Yes c 25 b 4 yrs. b V §
7§24.001 l		 4 yrs.
Criminal District Judge Yes 2 yrs.b 2 yrs.b Yes c 25 b 4 yrs. b V §
7§24.001 l		 4 yrs.
Family District Judge Yes 2 yrs.b 2 yrs.b Yes c 25 b 4 yrs. b V §
7§24.001 l		 4 yrs.
District Attorney e Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g Yes V § 21,
30
§ 41.001 l		 4 yrs.
Criminal District Attorney  Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g Yes V § 30, Ch. 44,
§ 41.001 l		 4 yrs.
County Judge Yes 12 moc. 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g not req'd V § 15 4 yrs.
Judge, County Court-at-Law e Yes 2 yrs. e 6 mo.c, e Yes c 25 e, 4 yrs. e V § 30
§25.0014 l		 4 yrs.
Judge, County Criminal Court e Yes 2 yrs. e 6 mo.c, e Yes c 25 e, 4 yrs. e V § 30
§25.0014 l		 4 yrs.
Judge, County Probate Court e Yes 2 yrs. e 6 mo.c, e Yes c 25 e, 4 yrs. e V § 30
§25.0014 l		 4 yrs.
District Clerk Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - V § 9 i 4 yrs.
District & County Clerk Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - V § 20 i 4 yrs.
County Clerk Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - V § 20 i 4 yrs.
County Treasurer Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - XVI § 44 i 4 yrs.
County Surveyor Yes 12 mo. c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - XVI § 44 i 4 yrs.
County Attorney Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g Yes V § 21
 § 41.001 l		 4 yrs.
Sheriff f Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - V § 23
85.0011 m		 4 yrs.
Tax Assessor-Collector Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - VIII § 14 i 4 yrs.
County Commissioner Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - V § 18 i 4 yrs.
Constable g Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - V § 18  § 86.0021 m 4 yrs.
Justice of the Peace  Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yes c 18 g - V § 18 i 4 yrs.
  1. No duration specified.
  2. Before date of general election or special election, whichever is applicable.
  3. As of December 9, 2019, if candidate for Democratic or Republican Party Nomination. As of the date of nomination, if other party nominee for statewide, multi-county district, single-county district, county or precinct office. As of June 25, 2020, if independent candidate. As of November 3, 2020, if declared write-in candidate.
  4. Citations refer to article and section number of the U.S. Const. for U.S. Senator and U.S. Rep.; section number of the Tex. Educ. Code for Member, State Board of Education; section number of the Tex. Nat. Res. Code for Railroad Commission; section number of the Tex. Gov’t Code for district judge, district attorney and statutory county court; section number for Texas Loc. Gov’t Code for constable; and article and section number of the Tex. Const. for all others. Also see § 141.001 of the Tex. Elec. Code.
  5. Statutory qualifications may vary; contact your local party chair or the Secretary of State.
  6. Additional qualifications for constable: must be either (1) eligible to be licensed under sections 1701.309, 1701.312, and 1701.502 of the Texas Occupations Code AND (a) has at least an associate’s degree, (b) is a special investigator under Article 2.122(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, or (c) is an honorably retired peace officer or honorably retired federal criminal investigator who holds a certificate of proficiency issued under Section 1701.357, Texas Occupations Code OR (2) an active or inactive licensed peace officer under Chapter 1701 of the Texas Occupations Code.
  7. On first day of term to be filled at election. Note: A candidate might need to be age 18 at an earlier date than the first day of the term to be filled at election if the candidate is required to be a registered voter. See offices requiring voter registration.
  8. The offices of state senator and state representative must be qualified voters as defined by Tex. Const. Art. VI, Sec. 2. This definition provides that an individual must be eligible to register to vote but need not actually be a registered voter.
  9. Citation refers to an article and section number of the United States Constitution. For general qualifications for other offices, please see Section 141.001, Texas Election Code.
  10. Citation refers to section number of the Texas Natural Resources Code.
  11. itation refers to section number of the Texas Education Code.
  12. Citation refers to an article of the United States Constitution and a section number of the Texas Government Code.
  13. Citation refers to an article and section number of the United States Constitution and a section number of the Texas Local Government Code.

Special Note 1: Please be advised that due to the removal of the staggering schedule from Article XVI, Section 65 of the Texas Constitution, there are various local offices which may have been created by your county commissioners court or the Texas Legislature but are not listed on all pages of this guide. For further information on filing for county offices not listed, please contact the county clerk’s/elections administrator’s office or the office of the Secretary of State.

Special Note 2: Please be advised that executive and judicial officers elected in a statewide election, state appellate and district judges, members of the State Board of Education, and district or criminal district attorneys (among others) are subject to the provisions of Chapter 572 of the Texas Government Code Ann., which relates to personal financial disclosure, standards of conduct, and conflicts of interest issues. For further information on the applicability and requirements of Chapter 572, candidates should contact the Texas Ethics Commission.