Jonah Patel
The Attorney General of the United States is the head of the Department of Justice and the primary legal advisor to the President. They are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. State attorneys general, on the other hand, are either directly elected or appointed by the governor, state Legislature, or state Supreme Court, depending on the state. This raises the question: are state attorneys general elected every election in the federal system of the USA?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of states where attorney general is directly elected | 43 |
| States where attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature | Maine |
| States where attorney general is appointed by the state Supreme Court | Tennessee |
| States where attorney general is appointed by the governor | 5 (including American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) |
| Highest salary for an attorney general | $222,639 (Massachusetts) |
| Lowest salary for an attorney general | $82,220 (Oregon) |
| Number of states where attorney general has the power to initiate prosecution at the local level | 47 (all except Connecticut, North Carolina, and Arkansas) |
| Number of states where attorney general has the power to take over a case handled by a local prosecutor without instructions from the governor or legislature | 36 (with restrictions in 22 of those states) |
| Number of states that impose term limits on attorneys general | 17 |
| Number of elected attorney general offices held by the Democratic Party in 1977 | 27 |
| Number of elected attorney general offices held by the Republican Party in 1977 | 16 |
| Number of states that held elections for attorney general in 2011 | 3 (Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi) |
| Number of states that held elections for attorney general in 2015 | 3 (Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi) |
| Position of the attorney general in the presidential line of succession | Seventh |
| Number of states or territories that elect their attorneys general for a four-year term | 3 (District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands) |
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What You'll Learn
- Attorney General elections occur every four years in some states and territories
- The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states
- The attorney general is the head of the US Department of Justice
- The attorney general is the principal legal advisor to the president
- The attorney general is seventh in the presidential line of succession
Attorney General elections occur every four years in some states and territories
The Attorney General is the top legal officer in a state or territory. The Attorney General's duties include managing legal issues involving public safety, civil rights, and national security, as well as overseeing the United States Department of Justice, enforcing federal laws, and providing legal advice and opinions to the president, the cabinet, and the heads of executive departments and agencies.
In the US, the Attorney General is elected in 43 states, while in Maine, the attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature, in Tennessee by the state Supreme Court, and in five other states by the governor. In some states, Attorney General elections occur every four years, coinciding with presidential elections. For example, the House delegate of Puerto Rico, officially known as the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico, is elected to a four-year term, coinciding with the presidential term.
In 2012, Democrats won six of the Attorney General elections, while Republicans took four, maintaining the status quo. In 2015, three states—Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi—held elections for attorney general. Utah also held a special election to fill the remaining two years of John Swallow's term.
It is worth noting that the US Attorney General, who serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government, is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate.
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The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states
The attorney general is directly elected by the people in 43 states across the USA. The position exists in all 50 states, but in seven, the attorney general is appointed by a state government body. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is appointed by the governor. In Maine, the attorney general is appointed by the state legislature, and in Tennessee, they are appointed by the state Supreme Court.
The attorney general is the top legal officer in a state or territory. They are the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. Attorneys general often set particular law enforcement priorities, such as drug law, civil rights violations, or sexual crimes, and focus extra resources on these issues. They also have the power to initiate prosecution at the local level in 47 states. In 36 states, the attorney general can take over a case handled by a local prosecutor without instruction from the governor or legislature, although this power is restricted to certain cases in 22 of those states.
The attorney general's duties and responsibilities vary from state to state. They manage legal issues involving public safety, civil rights, and national security. They also communicate legal concerns to Congress and ensure compliance with federal laws across states. The attorney general's role can evolve through congressional legislation, such as in 2001, when the PATRIOT Act expanded the department's investigative authority in matters of terrorism and national security.
Attorneys general are usually elected for four-year terms, except in Vermont, where the term is two years, and in Tennessee, where the term is eight years. Some states impose term limits on attorneys general. For example, New Mexico and South Dakota limit attorneys general to two consecutive four-year terms.
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The attorney general is the head of the US Department of Justice
The Attorney General is a federal office and is the head of the US Department of Justice. The Attorney General is the top legal officer in a state or territory and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The Attorney General is the principal legal advisor to the President of the United States and is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States. The Attorney General is seventh in the presidential line of succession.
The Attorney General is nominated by the President and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, takes office if confirmed by a majority vote in the full Senate. The Attorney General is supported by the Office of the Attorney General, which includes executive staff and several deputy attorneys general. The Attorney General's duties include overseeing the US Department of Justice, enforcing federal laws, and providing legal advice and opinions to the President, the Cabinet, and the heads of executive departments and agencies. The Attorney General represents the federal government in legal matters and supervises the administration and operation of the Department of Justice, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Office of Justice Programs, US Attorneys, and the United States Marshals Service.
The Attorney General advises the President on appointments to federal judicial positions and Department of Justice roles. The Attorney General also manages legal issues involving public safety, civil rights, and national security, and communicates legal concerns to Congress. The Attorney General's role can evolve through congressional legislation, such as the PATRIOT Act, which expanded the department's surveillance and investigative authority in matters of terrorism and national security.
The Attorney General is directly elected in 43 states, while in others they are appointed by the governor, the state Legislature, or the state Supreme Court. The District of Columbia and two US territories, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, elect their attorneys general for a four-year term. State attorneys general enforce both state and federal laws and have the power to initiate prosecution at the local level in most states. They may also take over cases handled by local prosecutors without instruction from the governor or legislature, although this power may be restricted to certain cases.
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The attorney general is the principal legal advisor to the president
In addition to advising the President on legal matters, the Attorney General also advises on appointments to federal judicial positions and Department of Justice roles. The Attorney General manages legal issues involving public safety, civil rights, and national security. They communicate legal concerns to Congress and ensure compliance with federal laws across states. The Attorney General's role can evolve through congressional legislation, such as the PATRIOT Act, which expanded the department's surveillance and investigative authority in matters of terrorism and national security.
The Attorney General is nominated by the President and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, is confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate. The Attorney General is seventh in the presidential line of succession and is a statutory member of the Cabinet and the National Security Council. The Attorney General is supported by the Office of the Attorney General, which includes executive staff and several deputy attorneys general.
At the state level, the Attorney General is the top legal officer in each state or territory. In 43 states, the Attorney General is directly elected, while in other states they are appointed by the state Legislature or Supreme Court, or by the governor. State Attorneys General have powers such as initiating prosecution at the local level and taking over cases handled by local prosecutors.
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The attorney general is seventh in the presidential line of succession
The Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice and the federal government's chief law enforcement officer. They are the principal legal advisor to the president and a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States and the National Security Council. The Attorney General is seventh in the presidential line of succession.
The presidential line of succession is the order in which the vice president and other federal government officers assume the powers and duties of the presidency in the event of the president's death, resignation, removal from office, or incapacity. The vice president is first in the line of succession, followed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate, and then Cabinet secretaries, depending on eligibility. The Cabinet has 15 members, with the secretary of state as the highest-ranking and fourth in line. The other secretaries follow in the order of when their departments were created.
The Attorney General is nominated by the president and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, will take office if confirmed by the majority of the full Senate. The Attorney General's duties include overseeing the Department of Justice, enforcing federal laws, and providing legal advice and opinions to the president, the Cabinet, and the heads of executive departments and agencies. They represent the federal government in legal matters and supervise agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
At the state level, the attorney general is the top legal officer. They are directly elected in 43 states, appointed by the state Legislature in Maine, by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee, and by the governor in the remaining five states. State attorneys general have powers such as initiating prosecution at the local level and taking over cases handled by local prosecutors.
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Frequently asked questions
Attorney generals are elected in 43 states. In Maine, the attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature, in Tennessee by the state Supreme Court, and in the remaining five states by the governor. The District of Columbia and two U.S. territories, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, elect their attorneys general for a four-year term.
The attorney general is the head of the United States Department of Justice and the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. They enforce federal laws, oversee the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and provide legal advice and opinions to the president, the cabinet, and the heads of executive departments and agencies.
Many states have passed term limits. Nine states limit the selection to two consecutive terms, four states limit it to two terms, and 33 states have no term limits.
