Revision: March 18, 2026, 8:57 a.m.
Senate Judiciary
March 17, 2026
2026-1219s
08/07
Amendment to CACR 11
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
RELATING TO: sheriffs.
PROVIDING THAT: there shall be no age limitation for a person to hold the office of county sheriff.
Amend the bill by replacing all after the resolving clause with the following:
I. That article 78 of the second part of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
[Art.] 78. [Judges [and Sheriffs], When Disqualified by Age.] No person shall hold the office of Judge of any Court[,] or Judge of Probate[, or Sheriff of any county,] after he has attained the age of seventy years.
II. That the above amendment proposed to the constitution be submitted to the qualified voters of the state at the state general election to be held in November 2026.
III. That the selectmen of all towns, cities, wards and places in the state are directed to insert in their warrants for the said 2026 election an article to the following effect: To decide whether the amendments of the constitution proposed by the 2026 session of the general court shall be approved.
IV. That the wording of the question put to the qualified voters shall be:
“Are you in favor of amending article 78 of the second part of the constitution to read as follows:
[Art.] 78. [Judges, When Disqualified by Age.] No person shall hold the office of Judge of any Court or Judge of Probate after he has attained the age of seventy years.”
V. That the secretary of state shall print the question to be submitted on a separate ballot with other constitutional questions or on the official ballot. The ballot containing the question shall include 2 ovals next to the question allowing the voter to vote “Yes” or “No.” If no oval is marked, the ballot shall not be counted on the question. The outside of the ballot shall be the same as the regular official ballot except that the words “Questions Relating to Constitutional Amendments proposed by the 2026 General Court” shall be printed in bold type at the top of the ballot.
VI. That if the proposed amendment is approved by 2/3 of those voting on the amendment, it becomes effective when the governor proclaims its adoption.
VII. Voters' Guide.
AT THE PRESENT TIME, no person may be a sheriff after he or she has turned seventy years old.
IF THE AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED, there shall be no age limitation on the office of sheriff.
2026-1219s
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution eliminates the age limitation for sheriffs.