Term limit

A term limit is a provision of a constitution, statute or bylaw which limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. An example would be the 22nd Amendment of the United States Constitution which says that no person can be elected President more than twice. Term limits are a particularly important issue in the United States.

Related Topics:
Constitution - Statute - Bylaw - 22nd Amendment - United States Constitution - President - United States

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In the United States the concept of term limits is not a new one: the constitution of the state of Delaware, adopted in 1787, limits the governor to two four year terms. This provision remains in force. Currently, 36 states have adopted term limits of various types for their governors. One peculiar variation prohibited a governor from succeeding himself, which led to the election of Lurleen Wallace, wife of Governor George Wallace, as the first female governor of Alabama. Virginia is the only state currently limiting governors to a single term.

Related Topics:
State - Delaware - 1787 - Governor - Lurleen Wallace - George Wallace - Alabama - Virginia

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President George Washington originally started the tradition of informal presidential term limits by refusing to run for a third term. The short-lived Confederate States of America adopted a six year term for its president and vice-president and barred holders of these offices from seeking re-election. This innovation was endorsed by many American politicians after the war, most notably by Rutherford B. Hayes in his inaugural address. Hayes's proposal did not come to fruition, but the government of Mexico adopted the Confederate term and limit for its federal president.

Related Topics:
George Washington - Confederate States of America - Rutherford B. Hayes - Mexico

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