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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 4Ch. 1Art. 2§ 1020 Civil Office Eligibility Requirements

§ 1020 Civil Office Eligibility Requirements

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 1020 Civil Office Eligibility Requirements

Key Takeaways

  • •You can run for an elected government job if you are 18 and a citizen of the state.
  • •You can be picked for a government job (not elected) if you are 18 and live in the state, even if you are not a citizen.
  • •If you get picked for a government job, you can get paid or get money back for work stuff, as long as it’s allowed by federal rules.

Example

A 20-year-old person who is not a U.S. citizen but lives in the state wants to work on a local board that the mayor picks people for.

This person can be picked for the board because they are 18 and live in the state. They can also get paid for the work they do on the board, just like anyone else.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 1020 Civil Office Eligibility Requirements

(a) A person is eligible to hold an elective civil office if, at the time of election, the person is 18 years of age and a citizen of the state. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, a person, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, is eligible to hold an appointed civil office if the person is 18 years of age and a resident of the state. (c) Notwithstanding any other law, a person appointed to civil office, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, may receive any form of compensation that the person is not otherwise prohibited from receiving pursuant to federal law, including, but not limited to, any stipend, grant, or reimbursement of personal expenses that is associated with carrying out the duties of that office. (Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 790, Sec. 3. (SB 225) Effective January 1, 2020.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

elective civil officeappointed civil officecitizenship or immigration statuscompensation

Related Statutes

  • § 20035.11 State Manager Pay Adjustments
  • § 20037.11 State Bargaining Unit 10 Retirement Compensation
  • § 20037.15 State Employee Retirement Compensation
  • § 20037.7 State Employee Retirement Compensation
  • § 20069 State Employee Service Definition

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 1020.
View Official Source