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State Term Limits Initiatives Since 2012

Over the last twenty years, term limits has been one of the most widely debated issues across the nation.  Americans have become sick of their local politicians who are seeking nothing more than to hold a seat for twenty years, until they have a shot at running for Congress.

In fifteen states across America, citizens have voted overwhelmingly to place term limits on their state legislatures.  Two of these states have used activist judges to remove term limits. (This link will provide you details on specific states term limits)

Thirty-seven states place some form of term limits on their governor and other constitutional offices. (This link will provide you details)

Polling shows that term limits is just as popular in the states in which they exist as they were when the laws were first passed.

These alarming numbers cause fear for career politicians, which is why they are the ones who seek to eliminate term limits. US Term Limits continues to be the leader in blocking politicians, lobbyists and special interests from repealing term limits for their own personal gain.
Nine of the ten largest cities in America have term limits on their city council and/or mayor, for more details on cities with term limits, click here.

1990 Term Limits Votes
State

 
Measure Number

 
Type of Limits

 
Yes %

 
Current Status

 
California Prop. 140 Statewide Officials Legislature 52.2 In effect since 1996
Colorado Amendment 5 Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 71 USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits in effect since 1998
Oklahoma Question 632 Legislature 67.3 Takes effect in 2004
1991 Term Limits Votes
Washington Initiative 553 Congress, Governor, Lt. Governor, Legislature 46 N/A
1992 Term Limits Votes
Arizona Prop. 107 Congress, Legislature, State Executive Dept., Corporation Commission, State Mine Inspector 74.2 USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits in effect since 2000
Arkansas Amendment 73 Congress, State Constitutional Officers, Legislators 59.9 USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits in effect since 1998
California Prop. 164 Congress 63.4 USSC Thornton decision applies – unconst.
Florida Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 76.8 USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits in effect since 2000
Michigan Proposal B Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 58.8 USSC Thornton case repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits in effect since 1998
Missouri Amendment 12 Legislature 75 Takes effect in 2002
Missouri Amendment 13 Congress 74 USSC Thornton decision applies – unconst.
Montana CI-64 Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 67 USSC Thornton case repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits in effect since 2000
Nebraska Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 68.2 State SC held unconst. 1994
North Dakota Measure 5 Congress 55 USSC Thornton decision applies – unconst.
Ohio Issue 2 Congress 66.2 USSC Thornton decision applies – unconst.
Ohio Issue 3 Legislature 68.4 In effect since 2000
Ohio Issue 4 Lt. Governor, Sec. of State, Treasurer, AG, Auditor 69.2
Oregon Measure 3 Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 69.5 USSC Thornton case repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits held unconst. by state SC
South Dakota Amendment A Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 63.5 USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits in effect since 2000
Washington Initiative 573 Congress, Governor, Lt. Governor, Legislature 52 US Dist Court held Cong. Limits unconst. 1/8/94; remaining limits held unconst. by state SC 1/8/98
Wyoming Initiative 2 Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 77.2 USSC Thornton case repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits take effect in 2006
1993 Term Limits Votes
Maine Sec. of State, Treasurer, AG, Auditor, Legislature 67.6 In effect since 1996
1994 Term Limits Votes
Alaska Measure 4 Congress 63 USSC Thornton decision applies – unconst.
Colorado Amendment 17 Local Officials 51 In effect; some localities have voted to amend/repeal the limits
Idaho Proposal 2 Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature, County, Local, School Boards 59 USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong. limits; remaining limits repealed by legislature, 2/02
Maine Question 1 Congress 63 USSC Thornton decision applies – unconst.
Massachusetts Question 4 Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature 52 USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong. limits; State SC ruled remaining limits unconst., 7/97
Nebraska Measure 408 Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature, City & County Officials 68 USSC Thornton case – unconst. in part; State SC ruled remainder unconst., Duggan v. Beerman, 1996
Nevada Question 8 Congressional 70 Required ratification in 1996; removed from 1996 ballot following USSC Thorntondecision
Nevada Question 9 Statewide Officials, Judges, Justices, Legislature, Local Officials 70.4 Required ratification in 1996; split into two questions on 1996 ballot by state SC
Oklahoma Question 662 Congress 67 USSC Thornton decision applies – unconst.
Utah Initiative A Congress, Statewide Officials, Legislature, County 35 N/A
1995 Term Limits Votes
Louisiana Legislature 76 Takes effect in 2007
Mississippi Measure 4 Congress, Judges, Statewide Officials, Legislature, Local Officials 45.7 N/A
1996 Term Limits Votes
Alaska Measure 4 Congress – Instruct & Inform 54.6 AG declared unenforceable; USSC Cook v. Gralike applies – unconst.
Arkansas Amendment 9 Congress – Instruct & Inform 61 USSC Cook v. Gralike applies – unconst.
Colorado Amendment 12 Congress – Instruct & Inform 54 State SC held unconst., Feb. 1998
Idaho Proposal 4 Congress – Instruct & Inform 56.1 USSC Cook v. Gralike applies – unconst.
Maine Question 1 Congress – Instruct & Inform 59 USSC Cook v. Gralike applies – unconst.
Missouri Amendment 9 Congress – Instruct & Inform 57.7 USSC held unconst., 2/01,Cook v. Gralike
Montana I-132 Congress – Instruct & Inform 45.4 N/A
Nebraska Measure 409 Congress – Instruct & Inform 58.3 USSC Donovan v. Priest (1997) applies, holding AR instruct & inform law unconst
Nevada Question 9(a) Statewide Officials, Legislature, Local Officials 54.3 Takes effect in 2008
Nevada Question 9(b) Justices, Judges 41 N/A
Nevada Question 17 Congress – Instruct & Inform 53.2 Required ratification in 1998
North Dakota Measure 5 Congress – Instruct & Inform; Statewide Officials, Legislature 47.4 N/A
North Dakota Measure 6 Constitutional convention to limit Congressional terms 44.4 N/A
Oregon Measure 48 Congress – Instruct & Inform 48.2 N/A
South Dakota Measure 1 Congress – Instruct & Inform 68 Repealed by Legislature, 3/97
Washington Initiative 670 Congress – Instruct & Inform 45 N/A
Wyoming Initiative 1 Congress – Instruct & Inform 54.1* N/A
Wyoming Referendum 1 Popular referendum to repeal the 1995 legislation extending from 6 to 12 years the limit on legislators 53.7* N/A
1997 Term Limits Votes
No statewide votes on term limits.
1998 Term Limits Votes
Alaska Measure 7 Voluntary Congressional Limits & Ballot Labeling 50.2
California Prop. 225 Congress – Instruct & Inform 53 USSC Cook v. Gralike applies – unconst.
Colorado Amendment 18 Voluntary Congressional Limits & Ballot Labeling 50.4
Idaho Proposal 1 Voluntary Congressional Limits & Ballot Labeling 54.7
Idaho Advisory vote – should state retain state and local term limits, since Congressional limits were held unconstitutional? 53.2 N/A
Nevada Question 17 Congress – Instruct & Inform 55.4 USSC Cook v. Gralike applies – unconst.
1999 Term Limits Votes
Mississippi Measure 9 Legislature 45 N/A
2000 Term Limits Votes
Nebraska Measure 415 Legislature 56 Takes effect in 2008
2001 Term Limits Votes
No statewide votes on term limits.

 
2002 Term Limits Votes
California Prop. 45 Allow legislators to petition to run for up to 4 years beyond limit 42.3 Limits remain in effect
Colorado Referendum A Exempt district attorneys from term limits 33.9 Limits remain in effect
Idaho Proposition 2 Approve the legislature’s repeal of term limits 50.2 Term limits repealed
Missouri Amendment 3 Exclude partial terms from term limits 54.2 Partial terms are excluded from term limits
2003 Term Limits Votes
No statewide votes on term limits.
2004 Term Limits Votes
Arkansas Amendment 1 weaken limit on terms to 12 years in each chamber 29.9 Term limits remain unchanged
Montana C-42 weaken limit on terms from 8 years in a 16-year period to 12 years in a 24-year period in each chamber 31.4 Term limits remain unchanged
2005 Term Limits Votes
No statewide votes on term limits.
2006 Term Limits Votes
Oregon Measure 45 Legislature 41.3 No legislative term limits in Oregon
2007 Term Limits Votes
Maine Question 5 weaken from 4 to 6 the number of consecutive terms a legislator may serve 32.9 Term limits remain unchanged
2008 Term Limits Votes
California Proposition 93 Remove chamber-specific limits and instead permit a legislator to serve a total of 12 years in the legislature 46.4 Term limits remain unchanged
South Dakota Amendment J Repeal term limits 24.3 Term limits remain unchanged
2009 Term Limits Votes
No statewide votes on term limits.
2010 Term Limits Votes
Oklahoma Question 747 Impose 8-year lifetime limit on the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Auditor and Inspector, State Treasurer, Labor Commissioner, Insurance Commissioner and State Schools Superintendent. 69.9 In effect since 2010
2011 Term Limits Votes
No statewide votes on term limits.
2012 Term Limits Votes
California Proposition 28 Remove chamber-specific limits and instead permit a legislator to serve a total of 12 years in the legislature 61.0 The change was adopted; term limits remain in effect, as amended
Nebraska Amendment 3 Change limit from 2 to 3 consecutive terms 35.3 Term limits remain unchanged

 

 

Notes
*An initiative must receive a majority of the total votes cast in an election, not simply a majority of the votes cast on the initiative, in order to pass. Therefore, both Wyoming measures failed. Initiative 1 received 48.7% of the total votes cast; Referendum 1 received 48.4% of the total votes cast.

 

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, February 2013.