Qualifications for Office

Eligibility to Hold Office

Anyone seeking a political office in the State of Tennessee must meet all the requirements as laid out in Title 8 of the TN Code Annotated.

As a part of that section, Statute 8-18-101 specifically outlines eligibility to hold an office in the State of Tennessee.

It reads:

All persons eighteen (18) years of age or older who are citizens of the United States and of this state, and have been inhabitants of the state, county, district or circuit for the period required by the constitution and laws of the state, are qualified to hold office under the authority of this state except:

(1) 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;

(2) Those against whom there is a judgement unpaid for any moneys received by them, in any official capacity, due to the United States, to this state, or any county of this state;

(3) Those who are defaulters to the treasury at the time of the election, and the election of any such person shall be void;

(4) Soldiers, sailors, marines, or airmen in the regular army or navy or air force of the United States; and

(5) Members of congress, and persons holding any office of profit or trust under any foreign poers, other state of the union, or under the United States.

The TN Code Annotated can be found online by visiting this website.

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