QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES
All candidates shall be qualified electors as required by R.S. 18:463*
Revised 8/2015
Page 16
OFFICE QUALIFICATIONS
LEGAL CITATION
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR
The candidate shall be a qualified elector of the district for which the candidate seeks election, unless he is elected
at large, in which case he shall be a qualified elector of Louisiana. No U.S. Senator, Representative in Congress
or person holding an office of trust or profit under the U.S. shall be elected a presidential elector.
R.S.18:1252
U.S.C.A. Const. Art. II
§1, cl. 2
GOVERNOR
By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have attained the age of 25 years, be an elector, and have been a
citizen of the United States and of Louisiana for at least the preceding 5 years. A person who has served as governor
for more than one and one-half terms in two consecutive terms shall not be elected governor for the succeeding
term.
La. Const., Art. IV, Sec. 2
& Sec. 3(B)
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR,
SECRETARY OF STATE
TREASURER
COMM. OF AGRICULTURE
COMM. OF INSURANCE
By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have attained the age of 25 years, be an elector, and have been a
citizen of the United States and of Louisiana for at least the preceding 5 years.
La. Const., Art. IV, Sec. 2
ATTORNEY GENERAL
By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have attained the age of 25 years, be an elector, and have been a
citizen of the United States and of Louisiana for at least the preceding 5 years and shall have been admitted to the
practice of law in Louisiana for at least the 5 years preceding the candidate’s election.
La. Const., Art. IV, Sec. 2
U. S. SENATOR
The candidate shall have attained the age of 30 years, have been a citizen of the United States for 9 years, and be
an inhabitant of Louisiana when elected.
R.S. 18:1275(A)
U.S.C.A. Const. Art. I §3, cl. 3
U. S. REPRESENTATIVE
The candidate shall have attained the age of 25 years, have been a citizen of the United States for 7 years, and be
an inhabitant of Louisiana when elected.
R.S. 18:1275(B)
U.S.C.A. Const. Art. I §2, cl. 2
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE,
SUPREME COURT
JUDGE, COURT OF APPEAL
JUDGE, DISTRICT COURT
JUDGE, FAMILY COURT
JUDGE, JUVENILE COURT
JUDGE, PARISH COURT
The candidate shall have been admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana for at least 10 years for supreme court
or court of appeals candidates and 8 years for district court, family court, parish court, or court having solely
juvenile jurisdiction candidates, prior to the candidate’s election. The candidate shall have been domiciled in the
respective district, circuit, or parish for 1 year preceding the candidate’s election. Elected or appointed incumbent
judges are not eligible to run for any elective office other than their own or another judicial office. In order to run
for another office, they must resign from their office at least 24 hours prior to the date of qualifying for such other
office. A judge appointed to fill a vacancy shall be ineligible as a candidate at the election to fill the vacancy.
Candidate must be younger than the mandatory retirement age of 70, and a judge who reaches age 70 while serving
a term of office will be allowed to complete the term.
R.S. 42:39
La. Const., Art. V,
Sec. 22, 23, 24
PUBLIC SERVICE COMM.
The candidate shall be a qualified elector. By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have attained the age of
eighteen years, resided in the state for the preceding two years, and been actually domiciled for the preceding year
in the single-member district established by law from which he seeks election. No person who has served as a
member of the commission for more than two and one-half terms in three consecutive terms shall be elected to the
commission for the succeeding term. This Subparagraph shall not apply to any person elected to the commission
prior to the effective date of this Subparagraph, except that it shall apply to any term of service of any such person
that begins after such date.
R.S. 45:1161.1
La. Const., Art. IV,
Sec. 21(A)(2)
*NOTE: See Page 20 for restrictions for convicted felons and recalled public officials
QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES
All candidates shall be qualified electors as required by R.S. 18:463*
Revised 7/2024
Page 17
OFFICE QUALIFICATIONS
LEGAL CITATION
STATE BOARD OF ELEM. and
SECONDARY EDUCATION
The candidate shall be a resident of the district. No person who has served as a member of the board for more
than two and one-half terms in three consecutive terms shall be elected or appointed to the board for the
succeeding term. This Subparagraph shall not apply to any person elected or appointed to the board prior to the
effective date of this Subparagraph (Dec. 8, 2008), except that it shall apply to any term of service of any such
person that begins after such date.
R.S. 17:1 B
La. Const., Art. VIII,
Sec. 3(B)(2)
STATE SENATOR
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
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. If elected
must change domicile to district before being sworn in. No person elected to serve as a member of the legislature
for more than two and one-half terms in three consecutive terms shall be elected for the succeeding term
beginning with the term beginning on or after January 8, 1996.
La. Const., Art. III, Sec. 4
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
The candidate shall have been admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana for at least 5 years prior to the candidate’s election
and shall have resided in the district for the 2 years preceding the candidate’s election.
La. Const., Art. V, Sec. 26 (A)
SHERIFF
CLERK OF COURT
ASSESSOR
By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have resided in Louisiana for the preceding 2 years and shall
have been actually domiciled for the preceding year in the parish from which he seeks election.
R.S. 18:451.2
CORONER
The candidate shall be a licensed physician, unless no licensed physician in the parish will accept the office. The
coroner shall be a resident of the parish, or a licensed physician who is not a resident of the parish but maintains
a full-time medical practice at a principal medical office facility in the parish. For St. Tammany Parish, please
see R.S. 13:5771 for additional qualifications.
La. Const., Art. V, Sec. 29
R.S. 13:5704
Act 526, 2024 RS
POLICE JUROR
-OR-
PARISH COUNCIL MEMBER
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 district from which the candidate
seeks election.
R.S. 33:1225
La. Const., Art. III, Sec. 4
Check Parish Home Rule Charter for qualifications and term limits. Parish Home Rule Charter
Note for Both: In a parish with more than 10,000 (population), a sitting police juror or parish council member
who is appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of Mayor or Parish President is not eligible to run for that office in
the election to fill the vacancy.
R.S. 42:1113
JUDGE, CITY COURT
The candidate shall be licensed to practice law in Louisiana for at least 5 years previous to the candidate’s
election and shall have been a qualified resident elector of the territorial jurisdiction of the court for at least 2
years prior to the candidate’s election. Elected or appointed incumbent judges are not eligible to run for any
elective office other than their own or another judicial office. In order to run for another office, they must resign
from their office at least 24 hours prior to the date of qualifying for such other office. A judge appointed to fill a
vacancy shall be ineligible as a candidate at the election to fill the vacancy. Candidate must be younger than the
mandatory retirement age of 70 and a judge who reaches age 70 while serving a term of office will be allowed to
complete the term. (Considered a ward office per Attorney General Opinion No. 78-798.) Check additional
qualifications for specific courts in Title 13. For municipalities governed by a Home Rule or Legislative
Charter, consult the Home Rule or Legislative Charter for additional qualifications.
R.S. 13:1873
R.S. 42:39
La. Const., Art. V,
Sect. 22 & 23
*NOTE: See Page 20 for restrictions for convicted felons and recalled public officials
QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES
All candidates shall be qualified electors as required by R.S. 18:463*
Revised 6/2024
Page 18
OFFICE QUALIFICATIONS
LEGAL CITATION
MARSHAL, CITY COURT
The candidate shall be a resident elector of the territorial jurisdiction of the court and shall possess a high school
diploma or its equivalent as determined by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education if not in office on
8/15/97. (Considered a ward office per Attorney General Opinion No. 78-798.)
R.S. 13:1880
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have attained the age of 18, possess a high school diploma or its
equivalent as determined by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, resided in Louisiana for
the preceding 2 years, and have been actually domiciled for the preceding year in the parish, ward, or district
from which the candidate seeks election. The candidate shall be able to read and write. At the next regular
election following reapportionment an elector may qualify in any district created in whole or in part from a
district existing prior to reapportionment if he was domiciled in the prior district for at least 1 year immediately
preceding his qualification and was a resident of Louisiana for the 2 years preceding his qualification. If elected
must change domicile to district before being sworn in. No person elected to serve as a member of a school
board for more than two and one-half terms in three consecutive terms, such service being during terms that
began on or after January 1, 2014, shall be elected for the succeeding term. (See separate term limit provisions
for Jefferson and Lafayette Parishes.)
Any person who has been convicted of or has pled nolo contender to a crime listed in R.S. 15:587.1(C) is not
eligible to qualify as a candidate for membership on a school board.
R.S. 17:52(D) & (E)
R.S. 17:60.4
Act 204, 2024
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
The candidate shall be of good moral character, a qualified elector, be a resident of the ward and district from which
elected and able to read and write the English language correctly. By the date of qualification, the candidate shall
possess a high school diploma or its equivalent as determined by Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. A
justice of the peace appointed to fill an unexpired term is not authorized to run for that office in the next subsequent
election for that office, either special or otherwise, even though he has officially resigned from the office of justice of the
peace.
In Plaquemines Parish, the justice of the peace in ward three may be a resident of ward three or ward four and the
respective district.
R.S. 13:2582, R.S. 42:39.2
La. Const., Art. V, Sec. 23
Attorney General Opinion
No. 90-324
Act 81, 2024
CONSTABLE
(Justice of the Peace Court)
The candidate shall be of good moral character, able to read and write the English language, possess a high
school diploma or its equivalent as determined by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education if not in
office on 11/19/95 and shall be an elector and resident of the ward or district from which the candidate is
elected.
R.S. 13:2583(A)
GREATER LAFOURCHE
PORT COMMISSION MEMBER
The candidate shall be a citizen of the United States and a qualified voter and taxpayer of Louisiana, and of the tenth
ward, parish of Lafourche.
R.S. 34:1651(D)
*NOTE: See Page 20 for restrictions for convicted felons and recalled public officials
QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES
All candidates shall be qualified electors as required by R.S. 18:463*
Revised 06/2024
Page 19
OFFICE QUALIFICATIONS
LEGAL CITATION
The qualifications below apply to municipalities governed by the Lawrason Act. For municipalities governed
by a Home Rule or Legislative Charter, consult the Home Rule or Legislative Charter for qualifications.
MAYOR
The candidate shall be an elector of the municipality who at the time of qualification shall have been domiciled
and actually resided for at least the immediately preceding year in the municipality.
R.S. 33:384
CHIEF OF POLICE
MARSHAL
The candidate shall be an elector of the municipality when elected. At the time of qualification, the candidate
shall have been domiciled for at least the immediately preceding year in a city or town. The candidate for chief
of police of a village shall reside within the boundaries of the parish in which the village is located for at least
the immediately preceding year. There is an exception in the town of Gueydan, which allows for a person who
resides outside the corporate limits of the town but inside the territorial limits of Ward 8 of Vermilion Parish.
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to the village of Napoleonville. An elected chief of police in the
village of Pine Prairie shall reside within the corporate limits of the village. At the time of qualification as a
candidate for the office of chief of police, a person shall have been domiciled in the village for at least the
immediately preceding year.
Any person currently serving as an elected chief of police for at least one year, and who has not met the training
requirements pursuant to R.S. 33:2345 (A) and (B) within the preceding year before the opening of qualifying,
or who does not qualify for a legal exemption as specified below, is prohibited from qualifying as a candidate for
reelection for that office.
Exemptions to the new chief management course for purposes of qualifying:
1. Any candidate for chief of police that was elected prior to January 1, 2004 and has been in continuous
service since that date is not required to complete the new chief management course stipulated in R.S.
33:2345 (A) to be eligible to qualify as a candidate for reelection.
2. Any candidate for chief of police that has served as an elected chief of police continuously since
January 1, 1983 is exempt from the R.S. 33:2345(A) and (B) training requirements for the purposes of
eligibility to qualify as a candidate for reelection.
R.S. 33:385.1
Act 73, 2016 RS
Act 212, 2022 RS
Act 187, 2024 RS
Act 348, 2023 RS
R.S. 33:2345(A)&(B)
ALDERMAN
COUNCILMAN
COUNCIL MEMBER
The candidate shall be an elector of the municipality who at the time of qualification shall have been domiciled
and actually resided for at least the immediately preceding year in the municipality. In addition, those elected
from wards must be residents of their respective wards at the time of qualifying.
R.S. 33:384 & 385
Attorney General Opinion
No. 98-319
*NOTE: See Page 20 for restrictions for convicted felons and recalled public officials
QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES
All candidates shall be qualified electors as required by R.S. 18:463*
Revised 10/2022
Page 20
POLITICAL PARTY OFFICE
QUALIFICATIONS
LEGAL CITATION
DEMOCRATIC/REPUBLICAN
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
The candidate shall meet the qualifications established by the rules and regulations of the state central committee
of the political party.
R.S. 18:443(A)
R.S. 18:443.2(1)
DEMOCRATIC/REPUBLICAN
PARISH EXECUTIVE COMM.
The candidate shall meet the qualifications established by the rules and regulations of the state central committee
of the political party.
R.S. 18:444(A)
REAPPORTIONMENT -
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
LEGAL CITATION
At the first election following 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 the time limit provided by law preceding his qualification, provided
he becomes domiciled in the district he is elected to represent prior to being sworn into office.”
Attorney General Opinion
No. 94-334
NOTE: RESTRICTIONS FOR CONVICTED FELONS (For any office other than U.S. Senator or Representative) - Louisiana Constitution Article I, Section 10.1:
(A) Disqualification. The following persons shall not be permitted to qualify as a candidate for elective public office or hold elective public office or appointment of
honor, trust, or profit in this state:
(1) A person actually under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony.
(2) A person who has been convicted within this state of a felony and who has exhausted all legal remedies, or who has been convicted under the laws of any other state or of the
United States or of any foreign government or country of a crime which, if committed in this state, would be a felony and who has exhausted all legal remedies and has not
afterwards been pardoned either by the governor of this state or by the officer of the state, nation, government, or country having such authority to pardon in the place where the
person was convicted and sentenced.
(B) Exception. The provisions of Paragraph (A) of this Section shall not prohibit a person convicted of a felony from qualifying as a candidate for elective public office or holding
such elective public office or appointment of honor, trust, or profit if more than five years have elapsed since the completion of his original sentence for the conviction.
*NOTE: RESTRICTIONS FOR RECALLED PUBLIC OFFICIALS – R.S. 18:1300.13(B)(2)
A public officer who has been recalled and removed from office shall be ineligible as a candidate at an election called to fill the vacancy created by the recall. A Lawrason Act
recalled public officer shall also be ineligible as a candidate at an election to fill any other vacancy on the governing authority of the Lawrason Act that is held prior to the next
regularly scheduled election.
