which states do not elect their attorney generals

by Virgie Jakubowski MD 7 min read

Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is a gubernatorial appointee. The attorney general in Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court for an eight-year term.

How many states elect their attorneys general?

57 rows · Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New ...

What states do not require a law degree to be elected?

Attorneys general are the top legal officers of their state or territory. They advise and represent their legislature and state agencies and act as the “People’s Lawyer” for the citizens. Most are elected, though a few are appointed by the governor. Select your state to connect to your state attorney general's website.

Can the Attorney General defend the state in a federal case?

The attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature in Maine, by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee, and by the governor in the remaining five states. Compensation According to compensation figures for 2017 compiled by the Council of State Governments in the Book of the States , the highest salary for an attorney general is $182,688 in Tennessee , while the lowest …

Should the Attorney General be elected or appointed?

Jul 23, 2013 · Although the vast majority of the states — to be exact, 43 states out of 50 — divide the power of the executive branch by making the Attorney General an elected position, that is not the only way to do it. Five states — Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming — have AGs appointed by the governor. Maine and Tennessee use different methods altogether — …

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Is the Texas attorney general elected or appointed?

Ken Paxton is the 51st Attorney General of Texas. He was elected on November 4, 2014, and sworn into office on January 5, 2015. He was re-elected to a second term in 2018.

Is the attorney general the top cop?

In the federal government of the United States, the Attorney General is a member of the Cabinet and, as head of the Department of Justice, is the top law enforcement officer and lawyer for the government.

Are there term limits for attorney general in Texas?

Incumbent Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is not term-limited as Texas does not prescribe term limits for state-wide elected officials. He is running for reelection.

Does the attorney general work in state or local government?

As chief legal officers of the states, commonwealths, District of Columbia, and territories of the United States, the role of an attorney general is to serve as counselor to state government agencies and legislatures, and as a representative of the public interest.

How many attorney generals are there in Texas?

Officeholders
No.NameTerm of service
47Dan Morales1991–1999
48John Cornyn1999–2002
49Greg Abbott2002–2015
50Ken Paxton2015–present
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How many attorney generals are there in New York?

New York Former Attorneys General
Barbara Underwood (Acting)2018
Eric Schneiderman2011 – 2018
Andrew M. Cuomo2007 – 2010
Eliot Spitzer1999 – 2006
Dennis Vacco1995 – 1998
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What is the salary of the Texas Attorney General?

Attorney General of Texas
Texas Attorney General
Office Type:Partisan
Office website:Official Link
Compensation:$153,750
2022 FY Budget:$651,863,347
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Does Missouri have term limits?

No one shall be elected to serve more than eight years total in any one house of the General Assembly nor more than sixteen years total in both houses of the General Assembly.

How long is Arizona Attorney General term?

The Attorney General serves as the chief legal officer of the State. The Attorney General is mandated by our constitution and elected to a four-year term by the people of Arizona.

Who does the attorney general of New York report to?

The attorney general advises the executive branch of state government and defends actions and proceedings on behalf of the state. The attorney general acts independently of the governor of New York.

Who is the state attorney of Florida?

Image of Who is the state attorney of Florida?
Ashley Brooke Moody is an American attorney and politician serving as the Florida attorney general since January 2019.
Wikipedia

What does the California Attorney General do?

The Attorney General's responsibilities include safeguarding Californians from harm and promoting community safety, preserving California's spectacular natural resources, enforcing civil rights laws, and helping victims of identity theft, mortgage-related fraud, illegal business practices, and other consumer crimes.

Which states have elected an attorney general in 2015?

Three states held elections for attorney general in 2015: Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi. In Kentucky, Andy Beshear (D) won election to the attorney general seat. Democrat Jim Hood was re-elected in Mississippi, while Republican Jeff Landry defeated incumbent Buddy Caldwell, also a Republican, in a runoff in Louisiana.

How many states have an attorney general?

The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states and Washington, D.C. The attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature in Maine, by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee, and by the governor in the remaining five states. Compensation of state attorneys general (2017)

How many attorney generals did the Democratic Party control in 1977?

In 1977, the Democratic Party held a total of 27 elected attorney general offices to the Republican Party 's 16. The Democratic lead in attorney general offices would be maintained through the 1990s, as opposed to the other three top executive offices, which became majority-Republican following the 1994 midterm elections. In the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican Party gained a lead in elected attorney general offices, with 22 elected attorneys general to the Democrats' 21. The Democratic victory in the 2013 Virginia election for attorney general caused the party to briefly regain a 22-21 majority of elected attorney general offices. This lead was lost in the 2014 midterm elections. After that point, the Republican Party continued to grow its majority control of elected attorney general offices.

How many territories does Ballotpedia cover?

Although Ballotpedia covers the five U.S. territories#N#The five U.S. territories are American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.#N#and their officeholders, territory officeholders are not included in the following figures.

How much does an attorney general make?

According to compensation figures for 2017 compiled by the Council of State Governments in the Book of the States, the highest salary for an attorney general is $182,688 in Tennessee, while the lowest is $80,000 in Colorado. To view the compensation of a particular attorney general, hover your mouse over the state.

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The attorney general is an executive office in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., that serves as the chief legal advisor and chief law enforcement officer for the state government and is empowered to prosecute violations of state law, represent the state in legal disputes and issue legal advice to state agencies and the legislature.

How many states have the power to appeal a criminal case?

Attorneys general: Power to represent state in criminal appeals. The attorney general has the power to represent the state in criminal appeals in 46 states, although this power is restricted in five of those states. Attorney general term limits. Attorney general term limits.

How is the Attorney General appointed?

Five states — Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming — have AGs appointed by the governor. Maine and Tennessee use different methods altogether — in Maine, the Attorney General is selected by secret ballot of the legislature and in Tennessee, the state AG is appointed by the state Supreme Court.

Which states have AGs?

Five states — Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming — have AGs appointed by the governor. Maine and Tennessee use different methods altogether — in Maine, the Attorney General is selected by secret ballot of the legislature and in Tennessee, the state AG is appointed by the state Supreme Court.

When did the Office of Corporation Counsel change to Office of the Attorney General?

The change came about in 2004 when then-Mayor Anthony Williams signed an order renaming the “Office of the Corporation Counsel for the District of Columbia” to “the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.”. The powers and duties of the O.C.C./OAG are similar to those of the Attorneys General of the several states, ...

Who is charged with enforcing false claims?

In each state or jurisdiction with a false claims act, the Office of the Attorney General is charged with supervising the enforcement of the statute. To my knowledge, no other state is currently hashing out this old argument about elected vs. appointed AGs, so I thought it would prove of interest to readers.

Should we elect an attorney general?

One of the things to be said in favor of electing an Attorney General is that you don’t have an individual in that job who does nothing more than carry water for the Mayor (or for the Governor). On the other hand, some people worry about the ability of an elected Attorney General to properly prosecute cases of fraud on the government because such cases are sometimes (but not always) against the sorts of companies who contribute to state wide campaigns.

When is the next election for the Attorney General of the United States?

Independent incumbent No election. The 2022 United States Attorney General elections will be held on November 8, 2022 to elect the attorneys general in thirty states, three territories, and one federal district. The previous elections for this group of states took place in 2018. The attorney general of Vermont serves two-year terms ...

How long is the attorney general term in Vermont?

The attorney general of Vermont serves two-year terms and was last elected in 2020. These elections will take place concurrently with several other federal, state, and local elections .

How many states have an attorney general?

The attorney general is appointed by the governor in five states: Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Wyoming. In Maine, the attorney general is chosen by the state legislature, while in Tennessee the choice falls to the state supreme court .

How many states require an attorney general to be a citizen?

U.S. citizen. 38 states have a formal provision stating an attorney general must be a United States citizen, while 12 do not have a formal provision. Of the 38 states, 5 specify the number of years and 33 do not.

Why are state attorneys general restless?

One possible explanation for state attorneys general becoming more restless and political-minded is the office's rising media profile, which is a function of the rising capacity of the internet and mainstream press to produce and distribute content on controversial cases involving the AGs . Another, possible more likely, explanation is the office's status as a springboard to higher office - to the governorship, especially. Nine sitting governors as of November 2013 previously served as attorney general of their respective states:

How many states have no law degree requirements?

Considering the myriad legal responsibilities carried by state attorneys general, it may surprise you to discover that a whopping 19 states have no set statutory or constitutional provisions requiring an individual to hold a law degree, or have a valid license to practice law, in order to serve in the office of attorney general.

How long can an attorney general serve in Tennessee?

1, Tennessee, is appointed by the State Supreme Court to serve a term of eight years. 1, Virginia, has a provision specifying an individual can serve as attorney general for an unlimited number of terms.

How many states have a state resident requirement for an attorney general?

1, Oklahoma, sets the limit at 31. 1, Colorado, sets the limit at 27. 1, Mississippi, sets the limit at 26. State Citizen. 43 states have a formal provision stating an attorney general must be a state resident, while 7 do not have a formal provision. Of the 43 states, 24 specify the number of years and 19 do not.

How does an attorney general influence a state?

Attorneys general exert substantial influence on a state's approach to law enforcement. Attorneys general often set particular law enforcement priorities (e.g. drug law, civil rights violations or sexual crime) and focus extra resources on these issues. This puts them, in the words of the National Association of Attorneys General, at the "intersection of law and public policy." Forty-three states publicly elect their attorneys general, reinforcing the office's relationship with, and direct accountability to, the people, in contrast with the Kings Attorneys of the past, whose singular service to their version of governors must have left those being governed wanting.

Why is the Maine governor suing the attorney general?

In Maine, the state’s governor is suing its attorney general for refusing to represent him in federal lawsuits. In Louisiana, the state attorney general has sued the governor over a four-million-dollar funding dispute.

Is the grand jury process secret?

It is a bedrock principle of the grand jury process that investigations are conducted in secret. When, as here, no indictments issued, the circumstances that allow for the release of documents and testimony are few and far between.

Do state governors and attorneys general clash?

When State Governors and Attorneys General Clash. State governors and attorneys general typically find themselves on the same side of the law. Nonetheless, an overwhelming majority of states directly elect their attorneys general. This framework creates a natural opportunity for conflicts to erupt, particularly when officials act to protect ...

Did the Governor's petition satisfy the grand jury?

The Court held that the Governor’s petition did not satisfy any of the exceptions governing the release of grand jury materials provided by Rhode Island law.

Will the governor appeal the Rhode Island case?

The Governor has not stated whether she will appeal the decision. The Rhode Island General Assembly is in any event poised to consider legislation that would deem any record created by the State Police or Attorney General’s Office related to the investigation a public record.

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Overview

The 2022 United States Attorney General elections will be held on November 8, 2022, to elect the attorneys general in thirty states, three territories, and one federal district. The previous elections for this group of states took place in 2018. The attorney general of Vermont serves two-year terms and was last elected in 2020.

Partisan composition

Going into the election, there are 23 Republican attorneys general and 20 Democratic attorneys general. This class of attorneys general is made of 16 Democrats and 14 Republicans.
Republicans will be defending two states won by Joe Biden in 2020, while Democrats are defending one state won by Donald Trump. Additionally, Democrats hold attorney general offices in four states with Republican governors. By contrast, Republicans hold attorney general offices in one …

Election predictions

Several sites and individuals published predictions of competitive seats. These predictions looked at factors such as the strength of the incumbent (if the incumbent is running for re-election), the strength of the candidates, and the partisan leanings of the state (reflected in part by the state's Cook Partisan Voting Index rating). The predictions assigned ratings to each seat, with the rating indicating the predicted advantage that a party has in winning that seat.

Alabama

Incumbent Republican Steve Marshall is running for re-election. Attorney Harry Still III is primary-challenging Marshall. Democrat Tarrant police chief Wendell Major is also running.

Arizona

The 2022 Arizona Attorney General election will take place on November 8, 2022, to elect the Attorney General of Arizona. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich is term-limited, cannot seek re-election to a third term in office and instead is running for the U.S. Senate.
Republican candidates include former assistant U.S. attorney Lacy Cooper, former Tucson city councilman Rodney Glassman, former Arizona Supreme Court justice Andrew Gould, chair of the A…

Arkansas

The 2022 Arkansas Attorney General election will be held on November 8, 2022, to elect the Attorney General of Arkansas. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Leslie Rutledge won re-election on November 6, 2018, to a second term. She is term-limited and had announced a campaign for Governor of Arkansas in 2022 but later switched to run for Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas.

California

The 2022 California Attorney General election will be held on November 8, 2022, to elect the Attorney General of California. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta was appointed to the office on April 23, 2021, following the resignation of Xavier Becerra to become the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. He running for election to a full term.
Republican candidates include attorney and business owner Eric Early and former assistant attor…

Colorado

Incumbent Democrat Attorney General Phil Weiser is running for re-election. Republican John Kellner, district attorney for the 18th district court of Colorado, is running against Weiser. Robert Barbrady is running as the candidate of the American Constitution Party.