Impact of term limits on state representative elections in 2012
2014 →
← 2011
|
| Term Limits |
|---|
 |
| Impact of Term Limits by Year |
| 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2014 |
| State senates |
| Arizona • Arkansas • California Colorado • Florida • Maine Missouri • Montana Nebraska • Nevada • Ohio Oklahoma • South Dakota |
| State houses |
| Arizona • Arkansas • California Colorado • Florida • Maine Michigan • Missouri • Montana Nevada • Ohio Oklahoma • South Dakota |
| State legislatures with term limits |
| Term limits on the ballot |
Elections of state representatives in 13 states with state legislative term limits took place on November 6, 2012. The 13 states where state legislative elections are impacted by term limits were close to 30% of the 42 states where state legislative elections of lower house members took place in 2012.
15 states have state legislative term limits, but Louisiana did not hold a state house election in 2012 and Nebraska does not have a lower house.
In the 13 states, 172 state representatives were ineligible to run for re-election in November because of term limit laws in their state.
This includes:
- 87 incumbent Democrats
- 85 incumbent Republicans
The 172 state representatives who were termed-out represent 13.6% of the 1,263 total seats up for election in November in the 13 term-limited states with elections in November 2010.
Differential impact on parties
Going into the November 2012 election, the Democratic Party was the majority party in 4 of the 13 state houses with term limits. The Republican Party was the majority party in 9 of the term-limited state houses.
- In 7 states, the term limits axe fell more heavily on incumbent Republicans: Arizona, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota. In all of these states, the current majority party was also the Republican Party.
- In 6 states, the term limits axe fell more heavily on incumbent Democrats: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, and Nevada. In 3 of these states, the current majority party was also the Democratic Party. These states include Arkansas, California, and Nevada. In 3 of the 6 states where term limits affected incumbent Democrats more heavily, the current majority party was Republican. These states were Colorado, Maine and Michigan.
Overview chart
Note: The figures in Column 5 ("Seats impacted by term limits") only reflects current members of state houses who were unable to run for re-election to their state's house in 2012 because of term limits. In some cases, including Ohio, state representatives who would have been unable to run for re-election in November resigned earlier in the year or were appointed to other positions. Representatives who resigned, and were not current members of their state houses, are not counted in these figures.
| Houses with limits | Majority party | Seats in house | Up for election in 2012 | Seats impacted by term limits | Party with most losses
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona: (House), (2012 elections) | 60 | 60 | 0 |
||
| Arkansas: (House), (2012 elections) | 100 | 100 | 19 |
||
| California: (Assembly), (2012 elections) | 80 | 80 | 16 |
||
| Colorado: (House), (2012 elections) | 65 | 65 | 5 |
||
| Florida: (House), (2012 elections) | 120 | 120 | 2 |
||
| Maine: (House), (2012 elections) | 153 | 153 | 14 |
||
| Michigan: (House), (2012 elections) | 110 | 110 | 9 |
||
| Missouri: (House), (2012 elections) | 163 | 163 | 8 |
||
| Montana: (House), (2012 elections) | 100 | 100 | 6 |
||
| Nevada: (House), (2012 elections) | 42 | 42 | 1 |
||
| Ohio: (House), (2012 elections) | 99 | 99 | 3 |
||
| Oklahoma: (House), (2012 elections) | 101 | 101 | 2 |
||
| South Dakota: (House), (2012 elections) | 70 | 70 | 2 |
||
| Totals: | (3) |
1,263 | 1,263 | 87 |
6 |
States
Arizona
All of Arizona's 60 state representative seats were upfor election on November 6. Arizona representatives serve two-year terms with a four-term/eight-year limit that was imposed by Proposition 107 in 1992. Arizona's term limits apply to parts of terms and not just full terms.
In the 2012 state house elections, 3 representatives, or 8.3% of the 60-member House, who were first elected in 2004 (0 Democratic state representatives and 3 GOP state representatives) could not run for re-election.
In addition to the 3 Arizona state representatives who left office because of Arizona's term limits, 2 state senators also left.
Arizona state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (0):
None
Republicans (3):
Arkansas
The Arkansas House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Arkansas voters approved the Arkansas Term Limits Initiative in 1992 as an initiated constitutional amendment.
There are 100 Arkansas State Representatives. In 2012, 23 of them (23%) who are current members were ineligible to run again in November (19 Democratic state representatives and 4 Republican state representatives).
In addition to the 23 state representatives who left office because of term limits, 10 Arkansas state senators were also termed-out.
Arkansas state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (19):
- Barry Hyde
- Billy Gaskill
- Bobby Pierce
- Buddy Lovell
- Charolette Wagner
- Clark Hall
- David Powers (Arkansas)
- Eddie Cheatham
- Fred Allen
- Jerry Brown, Arkansas Representative
- Johnnie Roebuck
- Kathy Webb
- Larry Cowling
- Mike Patterson (Arkansas)
- Randy Stewart, Arkansas Representative
- Robert Moore (Arkansas)
- Tommy Baker
- Toni Bradford
- Tracy Pennartz
Republicans (4):
California
The California State Assembly has been a term-limited state house since California voters approved Proposition 140 in 1990. Under the terms of Proposition 140, the members of the state assembly can serve no more than three 2-year terms in the state assembly. This is a lifetime limit, as is the case in five other states with state legislative term limits.
There are 80 members in the state assembly, and 22 of them (27.5%) termed-out in 2012. Of them, 17 were Democratic and 5 were Republican.
In addition to the 22 California state representatives who left office because of term limits, 6 California state senators were also termed-out.
California state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (17):
Republicans (5):
Colorado
The Colorado House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Colorado voters approved Issue 5 in 1990. The affirmative vote by Colorado's electorate in Issue 5 altered Section 3 of Article V on the Colorado Constitution to say that Colorado State Representatives could serve no more than four 2-year terms in office.
There are 65 representatives in the Colorado house. 8 of them, or 12.31%, could not run in 2012 because of term limits. Of these 8, 4 were Democratic and 4 were Republican
In addition to the 8 Colorado state representatives who left office because of term limits, 6 Colorado state senators were also termed-out.
Colorado state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (4):
Republicans (4):
Florida
The Florida House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Florida voters approved Amendment 9 in 1992. Amendment 9 altered Article VI, section 4 of the Florida Constitution to impose a maximum of four 2-year terms on Florida State Representatives.
There are 120 representatives in the Florida House of Representatives. 12 of them, or 10%, were termed-out in 2012. Of these 12, 2 were Democratic and 10 were Republican.
In addition to the 12 Florida state representatives who left office because of term limits, 10 Florida state senators were also termed-out.
Florida state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (2):
Republicans (10):
Maine
The Maine House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Maine voters approved Question 1 in 1993. Under this law, state representatives can serve no more than four consecutive 2-year terms. The Maine State Legislature tried, unsuccessfully, in 2007 to get the state's voters to extend the number of years they could consecutively serve in office by putting the Maine Term Limits Extension act on the ballot. Voters overwhelmingly (67-33%) rejected it.
There are 153 state representatives in Maine. 26 of them, or 17%, were termed out in 2012. Of these 26, 14 were Democratic and 12 were Republican.
In addition to the 26 Maine state representatives who left office because of term limits, 10 Maine state senators were also termed-out.
Maine state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (14):
Republicans (12):
Michigan
The Michigan House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Michigan voters approved Proposal B in 1992. Proposal B created Section 54 of Article IV of the Michigan Constitution. It says that state representatives are limited to 3 two-year terms. As with five other states, this is a lifetime limit.
14 of Michigan's 110 representatives, or 12.7%, were termed-out in 2012. Of them, 9 were Democratic and 5 were Republican.
Michigan state representative whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (9):
Republicans (5):
Missouri
The Missouri House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Missouri voters approved Amendment 12 in 1992. Amendment 12 created Section 8 of Article III of the Missouri Constitution, limiting members of the state house to 4 2-year terms. As with five other states, this is a lifetime limit. (Section 8 was later amended by Amendment 3 in 2002 so that it does not apply to partial terms.)
There were 25 state representatives terming out in 2012, or 15.3% of the 163 members of the chamber. Of them, 8 were Democratic and 17 were Republican.
In addition to the 25 Missouri state representatives who left office because of term limits, 9 Missouri state senators were also termed-out.
Missouri state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (8):
Republicans (17):
Montana
The Montana House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Montana voters approved CI-64 in 1992. C-64 created Section 8 of Article IV of the Montana Constitution, which says that Montana State Representatives cannot serve 8 or more years in any 16-year period.
There are 100 Montana State Representatives. 16 of them, or 16%, were termed out in 2012. Of them, 6 were Democratic and 10 were Republican.
In addition to the 16 Montana state representatives who left office because of term limits, 8 Montana state senators were also termed-out.
Montana state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (6):
Republicans(10):
Nevada
- See also: Nevada State Assembly elections, 2012
2010 was the first year that some Nevada State Representatives were ineligible to run for office because of the term limits law first passed in 1994.
Nevada voters approved Question 9A in 1996. Question 9A was a second vote on a term limits amendment first approved in 1994. Alone among the states with ballot initiatives, Nevada voters must approve a proposed constitutional amendment twice before it goes into the Nevada Constitution. The 1994 and 1996 votes cumulatively led to Paragraph 2 of Section 3 of Article 4 of the Nevada Constitution, which says, "No person may be elected or appointed as a member of the Assembly who has served in that Office, or at the expiration of his current term if he is so serving will have served, 12 years or more, from any district of this State."
1 Nevada State Representative, a Democrat, was termed-out in 2012. This was 2% of the state's 42 state representatives.
In addition to the 1 Nevada state representative who left office because of term limits, 4 Nevada state senators were also termed-out.
The Nevada state representative whose seats was up for election in 2012 but was unable to run because of the state's term limits was:
Democrats (1):
Republicans (0):
None
Ohio
The Ohio House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Ohio voters approved Ballot Issue 4, an initiated constitutional amendment, in 1992. This amendment became part of Section 2 of Article II of the Ohio Constitution and limits the amount of time that an Ohio State Representative can stay in office to four 2-year terms, saying, "No person shall hold the office of State Representative for a period longer than four successive terms of two years. Terms shall be considered successive unless separated by a period of four or more years."
6 of Ohio's representatives were termed out in 2012; this represents 6.06% of Ohio's 99 state representatives. Of them, 2 were Democratic and 4 were Republican.
In addition to the 6 Ohio state representatives who left office because of term limits, 1 Ohio state senator is also termed-out.
Ohio state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (2):
Republicans (4):
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma House of Representatives has been a term-limited house of representatives since Oklahoma voters approved State Question 632 in 1990, as an initiated constitutional amendment. This amendment became part of Section 17A of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution and limits the amount of time that an Oklahoma State Representative can serve to a cumulative total of 12 years in either or both chambers of the Oklahoma State Legislature.
6 of Oklahoma's 101 state representatives, or 6%, were termed out in 2012. Of them, 2 were Democratic and 4 were Republican.
In addition to the 6 Oklahoma state representatives who left office because of term limits, 2 Oklahoma state senators were also termed-out.
Oklahoma state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (2):
Republicans (4):
South Dakota
The South Dakota House of Representatives has been a term-limited house of representatives since South Dakota voters approved Ballot Issue A in 1992, an initiated constitutional amendment. This amendment became part of Section 6 of Article III of the South Dakota Constitution and limits the amount of time that a South Dakota Representative can stay in office to no more than four consecutive 2-year terms.
The South Dakota State Legislature has tried on more than one occasion, each time unsuccessfully, to persuade the state's voters to repeal term limits. The most recent such failed attempt was when Amendment J lost in 2008 by 75-25%.
7 of South Dakota's 70 state representatives, or 10%, were termed out in 2012. Of them, 2 were Democratic and 5 were Republican.
In addition to the 7 South Dakota state representatives who left office because of term limits, 3 South Dakota state senators were also termed-out.
South Dakota state representatives whose seats were up for election in 2012 but who were unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (2):
Republican (5):
See also
- State legislatures with term limits
- Impact of term limits on state senate elections in 2012
- Impact of term limits on state legislative elections in 2012
Footnotes
| |||||||||||