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Statewide Votes on Term Limits

Last updated Feb. 11, 2013

 

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USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong.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USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong.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USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong.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USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong.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USSC Thornton case repealed Cong.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USSC Thornton case repealed Cong.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USSC Thornton case repealed Cong.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USSC Thornton decision repealed Cong.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 Thornton decision

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

Extend limit on terms to 12 years in each chamber

29.9

Term limits remain unchanged

Montana

C-42

Extend 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

Extend 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

No statewide votes on term limits.

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

*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.

For More Information on Term Limits

Jennie Drage Bowser tracks term limits, and may be reached at 303-364-7700 or elections-info@ncsl.org.

 

 

 

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