Candidate Office Requirements

Office Requirements for Partisan National & State Candidates

Note: All candidates must be U.S. Citizens.

OfficeAgeResidencyTerms of OfficeVacancies
Attorney General18Resident of state4 yearsGovernor appoints a qualified person to serve until a successor is elected at the next regular biennial election. ORS 180.040.
Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries18Resident of state for 5 years prior to election - ORS 651.0304 yearsGovernor appoints a qualified person to serve until a successor is elected at the next regular biennial election. Ore. Const., Art. V, §16.
Governor30A resident of the state for 3 years prior to the election. Ore. Const., Art. V, §2.4 years, may serve two consecutive terms in 12 yearsSuccession order:
  1. Secretary of State
  2. State Treasurer
  3. President of the Senate
  4. Speaker of the House
Ore. Const., Art. V, §8a
President35Natural born citizen and resident of U.S. for 14 years - U.S. Const., Art. II, §14 years, may serve two consecutive termsSuccession order: 
  1. Vice President 
  2.  Congress to appoint officer. 
U.S. Const., Art. II, §1
Secretary of State18Resident of state
4 years, may serve two consecutive terms in 12 years
Governor appoints a qualified person to serve until a successor is elected at the next regular biennial election. Ore. Const., Art. V, §16.
State Representative21Resident of district for 1 year prior to the election - Ore. Const., Art. IV, §8
2 years
ORS 171.051
State Senator21Resident of district for 1 year prior to election -Ore. Const., Art. IV, §8
4 years
ORS 171.051
State Treasurer18
Resident of state
4 years, may serve two consecutive terms in 12 years
Governor appoints a qualified person to serve until a successor is elected at the next regular biennial election. Ore. Const., Art. V, §16.
U.S. Representative25
Resident of state and U.S. citizen for 7 years prior to election - U.S. Const., Art. I, §2
2 years
Governor shall call special election to fill vacancy - U.S. Const., Art. I; ORS 188.120
U.S. Senator30
Resident of state and U.S. citizen for 9 years prior to election - U.S. Const., Art. I, §3
6 years
Governor shall call special election to fill vacancy. U.S. Const., Art. I; ORS 188.120


Office Requirements for Nonpartisan State Candidates

Note: All candidates must be U.S. Citizens.

OfficeAgeResidencyTerm of OfficeVacanciesSpecial
Appeals Court Judge18 to 75Elector of county of residence6 yearsGovernor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust be admitted to practice law in the state.
Circuit Court Judge18 to 75ORS 3.0416 yearsGovernor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust be admitted to practice law in the Oregon Supreme Court at time of election or appointment.
District Attorney18Resident of state4 yearsGovernor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust be admitted to practice law in the Oregon Supreme Court at the time of election or appointment.
District Court JudgeNoneORS 46.6106 yearsGovernor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust be a member of the Oregon State Bar at the time of election or appointment.
Supreme Court Judge18 to 75Resident of state 3 years prior to election or appointment6 yearsGovernor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust be admitted to practice law in the Oregon Supreme Court at the time of election or appointment.
Tax Court Judge18 to 75Resident of state6 yearsGovernor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust be admitted to practice law for 3 years in the Oregon Supreme Court at the time of election or appointment.


Office Requirements for County Candidates

Note: All candidates must be U.S. Citizens.

OfficeAgeResidencyTerms of OfficeVacanciesSpecial
County Assessor18Resident of county one year prior to election and registered voter4 yearsCounty court or commissioners appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial election

Must be certified appraiser and have two years of accounting experience or two years of employment in the appraiser's office. Must be certified to be eligible by the Department of Revenue.

County Auditor18Resident of county one year prior to election4 yearsCounty court or commissioners appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust be registered CPA
County Clerk18Resident of county one year prior to election and registered voter4 yearsCounty court or commissioners appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionNone
County Commissioner18Resident of county one year prior to election and registered voter4 yearsCounty court or commissioners appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionNone
County Judge18-75Resident of county one year prior to election and registered voter4 yearsGovernor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial election.

None

County Sheriff21Resident of county one year prior to election and registered voter4 yearsCounty court or commissioners appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust have 4 years of experience in law enforcement. Must be certified by the Board of Police within 1 year of taking office. Proof of certification or eligibility must be provided to the filing officer.
County Surveyor18Resident of county one year prior to election and registered voter4 yearsCounty court or commissioners appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionMust be registered as a professional land surveyor in the state. County resident requirement does not apply to counties of less than 20,000 population.
County Treasurer18Resident of county one year prior to election and registered voter4 yearsCounty court or commissioners appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionNone
Justice of the Peace18-75Resident of state 3 years and residence or office in district one year prior to appointment or becoming a candidate6 yearsGovernor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected at next regular biennial electionNone
Precinct Committeeperson18Must be a resident of the precinct or of an adjoining precinct in the same county, or any precinct in their State Representative district, within the same county.2 yearsFilled according to ORS 248.043Term is from 24th day after primary to 24th day after the next primary.


Eligibility Requirements for School/Special District Director Candidates

Note: All candidates must be U.S. Citizens.

District/ORS ReferenceMust Be a Registered Elector in the DistrictPeriod of Residency RequirementMust Be a Landowner in the DistrictEmployee Prohibited from Serving
Ambulance
440.325 and 440.330(6)
YesNoneNoYes
Cemetery Maintenance
265.050(1)
YesNoneNoNo
College
341.326(2) and 341.275(2)
YesNoneNoYes
Education Service District
334.090(5) and (6)
Yes1 YearNoYes
Fire
478.050
Yes, or a
Landowner
NoneYes, or an
Elector
Yes, if district
has an ordinance
Hospital
440.325 and 440.330(6)
YesNoneNoYes
Joint Water/Sanitary
450.635(5) and (6)
YesNoneNoYes
Library
451.410
YesNoneNoNo
Park and Recreation
266.310(2)
YesNoneNoNo
Port
777.135(1)
YesNoneNoNo
Sanitary
450.045(2)
Yes, or a
Landowner
NoneYes, or an
Elector
No
School
332.016 and 332.018(2)
Yes1 YearNoYes (unless
employed a
substitute driver)
Special Road
371.349, 371.323
YesNoneNoNo
Transportation
267.112
NoNoneNoYes, if district
has an ordinance
Water
264.410
Yes, unless district has fewer than 100 electorsNoneNo, unless district has less than 100 electorsNo
Water Control
553.210(1)
NoNoneYes, but do not have to reside within districtNo