| | '''Term limits''' refers to statutory or constitutional limits on the number of terms a politician can serve in a given office. A term limit places a restriction on the number of years that a government official may serve. For example, the [[President of the United States]] is limited by the [[Twenty-Second Amendment]] to two [[term]]s. There are no terms limits for representatives and senators, per ''[[U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton]]'' in 1995. | | '''Term limits''' refers to statutory or constitutional limits on the number of terms a politician can serve in a given office. A term limit places a restriction on the number of years that a government official may serve. For example, the [[President of the United States]] is limited by the [[Twenty-Second Amendment]] to two [[term]]s. There are no terms limits for representatives and senators, per ''[[U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton]]'' in 1995. |
| − | Fifteen states have term limits: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. Some other states have partial term limits: for example, Texas allows cities and school districts to implement them if desired, but not for any other elected office.
| + | Term limits apply to governors in 37 states, including Florida.<ref>https://ballotpedia.org/States_with_gubernatorial_term_limits</ref> Broader term limits that apply also to state legislators exist in 15 states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. Some other states have partial term limits: for example, Texas allows cities and school districts to implement them if desired, but not for any other elected office. |
| | Those who support term limits say that politicians who spend too much time in office lose touch with the interests of the voters and become overly influenced by [[special interests]]. They argue that the Founders intended for government officials to get elected from the public, serve from a short period of time, and then go back to their normal lives, and that the idea of professional politicians is un-American and [[elitist]]. Term limits would also take away the overwhelming dominance incumbents typically have in congressional elections. | | Those who support term limits say that politicians who spend too much time in office lose touch with the interests of the voters and become overly influenced by [[special interests]]. They argue that the Founders intended for government officials to get elected from the public, serve from a short period of time, and then go back to their normal lives, and that the idea of professional politicians is un-American and [[elitist]]. Term limits would also take away the overwhelming dominance incumbents typically have in congressional elections. |