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Direct answer - eligibility

How long does a Mississippi governor candidate have to be a U.S. citizen?

Short answer: 20 years. Mississippi Constitution Article 5, Section 117 sets the U.S. citizenship requirement for serving as governor.

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The citizenship requirement is 20 years

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Mississippi governor candidates must have been United States citizens for 20 years. Article 5, Section 117 of the Mississippi Constitution also requires a governor to be at least 30 years old and to have resided in Mississippi for the five years immediately before election day.

This page answers the citizenship-duration rule only. Use the broader qualifications page when the question is about every constitutional requirement to hold the office.

Official text

The Governor shall be at least thirty years of age, and shall have been a citizen of the United States twenty years, and shall have resided in this State five years next preceding the day of his election.

Quoted from Article 5, Section 117 of the Mississippi Constitution as published by the Mississippi Secretary of State.

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FAQ

How long does a Mississippi governor candidate have to be a U.S. citizen?

Mississippi governor candidates must have been United States citizens for 20 years. Article 5, Section 117 of the Mississippi Constitution also requires a governor to be at least 30 years old and to have resided in Mississippi for the five years immediately before election day.

What is the Mississippi governor citizenship requirement?

Mississippi Constitution Article 5, Section 117 requires the governor to have been a United States citizen for 20 years.

Is citizenship the only constitutional qualification for Mississippi governor?

No. The same section requires the governor to have been a U.S. citizen for 20 years, to be at least 30 years old, and to have lived in Mississippi for the five years immediately before election day.

Sources

  1. Mississippi Constitution, Article 5, Section 117 - Official Mississippi Secretary of State constitution PDF: eligibility to serve as Governor, including U.S. citizenship duration, minimum age, and Mississippi residency requirements.