By law, Honolulu’s mayor and City Council members may serve a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms. In November, Oahu voters will be asked if they want that same rule to apply to the office of the Prosecuting Attorney of Honolulu. Our governor can only serve two consecutive, elected four-year terms; same thing for a U.S. president. Term limits exist in various places for various elected positions throughout America (and elsewhere).
So what if we finally imposed “reasonable” term limits on local state legislators? Would that end the sense that nothing gets done, that officials remain in office forever and initiate too few bold initiatives for fear of voter or funder alienation? Would such a plan encourage more entrepreneurial types to run for office locally? Would legislator term limits cause departing incumbents to forge their legacies through better cooperation and resolution? Would term limits stop proposing frivolous, no-chance bills from surfacing to appease special interest bases?
At least 15 states have state legislature term limits. Arkansas allows for 16 total years in the state House and/or Senate. Colorado allows for four two-year terms in its house, or two four years terms in the senate- eight years total. Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, California, etc.- check ‘em out; a rotation of elected legislators is guaranteed. New blood and ideas! Accountability and action! Special interest groups spend much time and money on incumbents and don’t want to see a semi-revolving door, while incumbents want no change at all, so the term limit subject gets ignored or buried… deep.
But hold on. Overall nationwide statistics indicate that the stasis and inaction we dread with our incumbents doesn’t seem to get better with forced turnover. Most states with term limits don’t see decreases in campaign spending nor increases in voter turnout. Hmmm…
A 2018 Harvard University Department of Government study found that, “Contrary to the goals of their proponents, terms limits appear to have exacerbated the legislative consequences of contemporary partisanship and have implications for understanding how electoral and career incentives affect legislative outcomes.” Oh, maybe it’s not so simple.
Perhaps the solution here is for a unicameral legislature (one House), populated with full-time electees to help prevent the myriad, ethical problems that can occur with part-time, relatively underpaid legislators. Maybe it’s time to discuss options, or continue to act dissatisfied with the status quo as sessions end in anti-climax every year in May.
Think about it…