A Look at Qualifications to Get Involved

For each annual session of the General Assembly, pages are appointed by members of the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor and Clerk of the Senate.  Pages are tasked with a variety of administrative support work while observing the process by which a bill becomes a law.  The application, admission criteria and program information is available on the Virginia General Assembly website each summer.  Pages must be 13 or 14-years-old on the first day of session and residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia.  They must also obtain permission from their school.

In the House of Delegates, the Speaker makes all page appointments.  Requirements are similar to those of House Pages.

A qualified voter in the Commonwealth of Virginia is a person 18 years of age or older, a citizen of the United States and a resident in the precinct in which he/she shall vote.  Virginians must register to vote prior to an election with their local registrar.

In order to become a Senator or Delegate, a person must be at least 21 years of age, an eligible voter, and reside in the district for which he/she is seeking to represent.

To become Governor, a person must be a citizen of the United States, be at least 30 years of age, and be a registered voter and resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia for at least 5 years prior to election. Once elected, a Governor may not serve consecutive terms.

The qualifications for becoming Lieutenant Governor are the same as for becoming Governor; however, once elected, there is no limit to the number of terms a Lieutenant Governor may serve.

The Attorney General of Virginia must meet the same qualifications as the Governor of Virginia and also possess the qualifications required for a judge of court of record.  Like the Lieutenant Governor, there is no limit to the number of terms an Attorney General may serve.