{
  "dataset": "attorney-general-selection",
  "title": "How Each State Chooses Its Attorney General",
  "as_of": "August 2026",
  "last_verified": "August 28, 2026",
  "source": "National Association of Attorneys General & Ballotpedia",
  "source_url": "https://www.naag.org/find-my-ag/",
  "publisher": "The Liberty Tribune",
  "publisher_url": "https://thelibertytribune.com",
  "license": "https://thelibertytribune.com/republish/",
  "canonical": "https://thelibertytribune.com/trackers/attorney-general-by-state/",
  "rows": 50,
  "data": [
    {
      "state": "Alabama",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Steve Marshall",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Alaska",
      "category": "governor",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Cori Mills",
      "termYears": 4,
      "acting": true,
      "summary": "Appointed by the governor; serving in an acting capacity."
    },
    {
      "state": "Arizona",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Kris Mayes",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Arkansas",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Tim Griffin",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "California",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Rob Bonta",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Colorado",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Phil Weiser",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Connecticut",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "William Tong",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Delaware",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Kathy Jennings",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Florida",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "James Uthmeier",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Georgia",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Chris Carr",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Hawaii",
      "category": "governor",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Anne E. Lopez",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Appointed by the governor rather than elected."
    },
    {
      "state": "Idaho",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Raúl Labrador",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Illinois",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Kwame Raoul",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Indiana",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Todd Rokita",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Iowa",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Brenna Bird",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Kansas",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Kris Kobach",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Kentucky",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Russell Coleman",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Louisiana",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Liz Murrill",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Maine",
      "category": "legislature",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Aaron Frey",
      "termYears": 2,
      "summary": "Chosen by the legislature by joint ballot to a two-year term — the only state that selects its attorney general this way."
    },
    {
      "state": "Maryland",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Anthony G. Brown",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Massachusetts",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Andrea Campbell",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Michigan",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Dana Nessel",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Minnesota",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Keith Ellison",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Mississippi",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Lynn Fitch",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Missouri",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Catherine Hanaway",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Montana",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Austin Knudsen",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Nebraska",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Mike Hilgers",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Nevada",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Aaron D. Ford",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "New Hampshire",
      "category": "governor",
      "attorneyGeneral": "John Formella",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Appointed by the governor with the approval of the executive council."
    },
    {
      "state": "New Jersey",
      "category": "governor",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Jennifer Davenport",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Appointed by the governor under the state constitution, serving a term concurrent with the governor's."
    },
    {
      "state": "New Mexico",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Raúl Torrez",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "New York",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Letitia A. James",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "North Carolina",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Jeff Jackson",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "North Dakota",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Drew Wrigley",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Ohio",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Andy Wilson",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Oklahoma",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Gentner Drummond",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Oregon",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Dan Rayfield",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Pennsylvania",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Dave Sunday",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Rhode Island",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Peter F. Neronha",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "South Carolina",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Alan Wilson",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "South Dakota",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Marty Jackley",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Tennessee",
      "category": "supreme-court",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Jonathan Skrmetti",
      "termYears": 8,
      "summary": "Appointed by the justices of the state supreme court to an eight-year term — the only state that selects its attorney general this way, and the longest term in the country. Voters were asked to switch to popular election in 2022 and declined."
    },
    {
      "state": "Texas",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Ken Paxton",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Utah",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Derek Brown",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Vermont",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Charity R. Clark",
      "termYears": 2,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a two-year term, alongside Vermont's other statewide officers — one of the shortest terms in the country."
    },
    {
      "state": "Virginia",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Jay Jones",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Washington",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Nick Brown",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "West Virginia",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "John B. McCuskey",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Wisconsin",
      "category": "elected",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Josh Kaul",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Elected statewide to a four-year term."
    },
    {
      "state": "Wyoming",
      "category": "governor",
      "attorneyGeneral": "Keith Kautz",
      "termYears": 4,
      "summary": "Appointed by the governor rather than elected."
    }
  ]
}