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There are a number of term limits to offices in the Us, which restrict the number of terms an private can hold a sure office.

Federal term limits

The Amendment XXII, United states of america Constitution says that no person tin can be elected President of the United States more twice. Term limits are a particularly of import outcome in the The states.

President George Washington originally started the tradition of breezy Presidential term limits by refusing to run for a tertiary term. The short-lived Confederate States of America adopted a half dozen-year term for their President and Vice-President, and barred the President from seeking re-election. This innovation was endorsed past many American politicians afterwards the war, most notably by Rutherford B. Hayes in his countdown address. Hayes' proposal did non come to fruition, merely the government of Mexico adopted the Confederate term and limit for its federal President. Franklin Roosevelt was the kickoff and just President to successfully break Washington'south tradition, and he died in part while serving his fourth term.

Congressional term limits were featured prominently in the Republican Party'due south Contract with America in the Usa House 1994 election entrada and may well have contributed to the Republicans gaining control of the United States House of Representatives from the Democratic Party for the get-go time since the United States 1952 elections. The Republican leadership brought to the floor of the House a constitutional subpoena that would limit Business firm members to six 2-yr terms and members of the Senate to 2 six-year terms. However, this amendment did not gain the approval of U.S. Term Limits, the largest private organisation pushing for Congressional term limits. (U.S. Term Limits wanted Firm members to exist express to three two-yr terms.) With the Republicans holding 230 seats in the Firm, the amendment did receive a simple majority in the House. However, a two-thirds majority (290 votes) is required to pass a constitutional subpoena, and thus the pecker failed. The concept subsequently lost momentum past the mid 1990s.

In May 1995, the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton, that states cannot impose term limits upon their U.S. Representatives or U.South. Senators.

Term limits at the federal level are restricted to the executive branch and some agencies. The U.Due south. Congress, yet, remains without electoral limits.

State term limits

Term limits for state governors or others within the state executive branch and other high constitutional offices have existed since the beginning of the U.s.a.. One of the first such limits of its kind, the Delaware Constitution of 1776, express the Governor of Delaware to a single 3-year term; the governor of Delaware can serve two iv-year terms. Equally of present, in that location are 36 states have adopted term limits of various types for their governors. One variation immune a governor to be re-elected, but only to not-consecutive terms. (To circumvent this provision, George Wallace, the governor of Alabama, announced in 1966 that voters should elect his married woman, Lurleen Wallace, their adjacent governor. It was clear during the entrada that Mrs. Wallace would be a governor in proper noun only, and thus she was elected the first female governor of Alabama.)

Beginning in the 1990s, term limit laws were imposed on 20 state legislatures through either successful ballot measures, referenda, legislative acts, or state constitutional changes. The Maine legislature was the first country to enact legislative term limits in 1993.

Since 1997, however, 6 state legislatures have either overturned their own limits or state supreme courts have ruled such limits unconstitutional. In 2002 the Idaho Legislature became the kickoff legislature of its kind to repeal its own term limits, enacted by a public vote in 1994, ostensibly because it applied to local officials along with the legislature.

Land legislatures with term limits

States with legislative limits
Legislature Limits in effect Year limits imposed Yr limits took effect
Arizona Legislature H: iv terms (eight years)
S: iv terms (8 years)
1992 H: 2000
S: 2000
Arkansas Legislature 12 sequent years; tin can return afterwards a four-year suspension 1992, 2014, modified 2020 H: 1998
S: 2000
California Legislature 12 year cumulative total, in either or both 1990, modified 2012 A: 1996
Due south: 1998
Colorado Legislature H: iv terms (8 years)
S: 2 terms (eight years)
1990 H: 1998
S: 1998
Florida Legislature H: 4 terms (8 years)
S: ii terms (8 years)
1992 H: 2000
S: 2000
Louisiana Legislature H: 3 terms (12 years)
S: iii terms (12 years)
1995 H: 2007
S: 2007
Maine Legislature H: four terms (eight years)
Due south: 4 terms (8 years)
1993 H: 1996
Due south: 1996
Michigan Legislature H: 3 terms (6 years)
S: 2 terms (8 years)
1992 H: 1998
South: 2002
Missouri Legislature H: 4 terms (viii years)
S: 2 terms (8 years)
Subpoena 13 (1992)
(too meet: Amendment 3 (2002)
H: 2002
S: 2002
Montana Legislature H: 4 terms (eight years)
S: 2 terms (viii years)
1992 H: 2000
S: 2000
Nebraska Unicameral Southward: two terms (8 years) 2000 S: 2008
Nevada Legislature A: six terms (12 years)
S: iii terms (12 years)
Initiative passed in 1996, took upshot with those elected in 1998 A: 2010
S: 2010
Ohio Legislature H: 4 terms (8 years)
S: 2 terms (8 years)
1992 H: 2000
S: 2000
Oklahoma Legislature 12 year cumulative total, in either or both 1990 H: 2004
S: 2004
South Dakota Legislature H: iv terms (viii years)
S: iv terms (eight years)
1992 H: 2000
Southward: 2000

Overturned state legislative term limits

The post-obit six legislatures accept had their term limits nullified:

  • Idaho Legislature: the Legislature repealed its own term limits in 2002.
  • Massachusetts General Courtroom: the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court overturned term limits in 1997.
  • Oregon Legislative Assembly: the Oregon Supreme Court ruled term limits unconstitutional in 2002.
  • Utah Land Legislature: the Legislature repealed its own term limits in 2003.
  • Washington Land Legislature: the Washington Supreme Courtroom voided term limits in 1998.
  • Wyoming Legislature: the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled term limits unconstitutional in 2004.

Municipal term limits

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the mayor cannot be elected 3 consecutive times, but there is no limit on how long any individual tin serve every bit mayor. Frank Rizzo was elected mayor in that location in 1971 and 1975, then tried and failed to go the 3-sequent ban overturned, so could not run for that function in 1979.

See also

  • Term limits
  • Listing of term limits ballot measures
  • U.S. Term Limits
  • Eric O'Keefe
  • Paul Jacob

External links

  • National Conference of State Legislatures term limits overview