2014 saw 38 term limits initiatives across the country. As proven time and time again, term limits emerged victorious as voters passed 90% of the initiatives with an average margin of 71% of the vote.
Of these initiatives, 11 attempted to increase current terms (two successfully), 19 initiatives for implementing term limits were victorious, 6 attempted to eliminate term limits (two did succeed), and one measure successfully reduced the term the sheriff could serve from 3 terms to 2.
These positions ran the gamut and included positions from mayor, city council, sheriff, all elected municipal officials, county board, and state legislators.
ARKANSAS
Statewide (Amendment 3 ) – would change from 6 year limit in the House and 8 year limit in the Senate to 16 years in total. *This change was buried deep within a deceptive ethics package without the term limits language on the actual ballot.
YES 52.4% TERM LIMITS LOSE
NO 47.6%
ARIZONA
Carefree, AZ (Prop 488) – would increase terms for City Council from two years to four years.
YES 34%
NO 66% TERM LIMITS WIN
Carefree, AZ (Prop 489) – would increase terms for Mayor from two years to four years.
YES 34.9%
NO 65.1% TERM LIMITS WIN
Chandler, AZ – would increase City-Council terms from two, to three consecutive terms.
YES 36.7
NO 63.3% TERM LIMITS WIN
CALIFORNIA
Atwater, CA- Would enact 3- 4 year term limits on city officials
YES 84% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 16%
Irvine, CA- Enacts lifetime 12 year term limits for Mayor and City Council
YES 76% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 24%
Lake Forest, CA- Enacts 3-4 year term limits for Mayor and City Council
YES 77.3% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 32.7%
La Mesa, CA- Enact 3-4 year term limits on Mayor and City Council
YES 66% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 34%
Lassen County, CA- Establishes 3-4 year term limits for County Board of Supervisors
YES 71.8% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 28.2%
Redondo Beach, CA- Would lengthen all elected municipal officials terms from 2-3
YES 32.5%
NO 67.5% TERM LIMITS WIN
COLORADO
Aspen, CO – would place “overall” terms on city officials.
YES 73% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 27%
El Paso County, CO – would limit the Sheriff from three terms to two terms
YES 80% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 20%
Evans, CO– If enacted would limit the amount of any elected official to 10 years total
YES 74% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 26%
Holyoke, CO– Would eliminate term limits for elected officials
YES 70.3% TERM LIMITS LOSE
NO 29.7%
Kit Carson, CO– If enacted would eliminate municipal term limits
YES 44%
NO 56% TERM LIMITS WIN
Lake County, CO– Would lengthen County Commission term limits from 2-4 year terms to 3-4
YES 45%
NO 55% TERM LIMITS WIN
Leadville, CO– Would eliminate term limits for City Clerk
YES 49.5%
NO 50.5% TERM LIMITS WIN
FLORIDA
Kenneth City, FL– Would repeal City-Council & Mayoral term limits.
YES 26%
NO 74% TERM LIMITS WIN
Lee County, FL– Enact 4-3 year term limits on the County Commission
YES 88.1% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 11.9%
Orange County, FL- Establishes 4-4 year term limits for County Commission
YES 72% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 28%
Opa-Locka, FL– would impose retroactive terms limits on city commissioners
YES 73% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 27%
Palm Beach Gardens, FL- Enacts 2-3 year term limits for city officials. Should term limits be retroactive?
YES 79% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 21%
YES 68% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 32%
ILLINOIS
Country Club Hills, IL- Establishes 5-4 year term limits for Mayor and City Council
YES 65.8% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 34.2%
Tinley Park, IL– Enacts 3-4 year term limits for Mayor and City Council
YES 75% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 25%
LOUISIANA
Mandeville, LA– would lengthen city-council term limits from two four-year terms to three four-year terms
YES 35%
NO 65% TERM LIMITS WIN
MAINE
Standish, ME- 2-3 year term limits for City Council/School Dist. Board
YES 67% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 33%
*(Both measures passed by the same margin)
MARYLAND
Prince George’s County, MD– Would lengthen 2-4 year term limits for county officials to 3-4 year terms
YES 48.7%
NO 51.3% TERM LIMITS WIN
MICHIGAN
Grand Rapids, MI- Establishes 2-4 term limits for city commission and mayor
YES 51% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 49%
Wayne, MI– would limit all city officials terms
YES 67% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 33%
NEW YORK
Kent, NY– would limit town-supervisor and council members to two four-year terms
YES 81% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 19%
OHIO
Independence, OH- Lengthen term limits from 2- 4 year terms for city officials to 3-4 year terms
YES 39%
NO 61% TERM LIMITS WIN
Moreland Hills, OH– would repeal term limits for village treasurer & law director
YES 83% TERM LIMITS LOSE
NO 17%
OREGON
Douglas County. OR– Enacts 2-4 year terms on County Commission
YES 69% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 31%
TENNESSEE
Crossville, TN– would limit Mayor & city-council to two consecutive four-year terms
YES 79% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 21%
TEXAS
Nolanville, TX- Would extend term limits for city officials from 2-3 terms
YES 92% TERM LIMITS LOSE
NO 8%
La Marque, TX- would repeal term limits for city officials
YES 74% TERM LIMITS WIN
NO 26%
WASHINGTON
Tacoma, WA– Would lengthen current terms for council & mayor from 10 consecutive years to 10 years +2 more terms as Mayor
YES 38.5%
NO 61.5% TERM LIMITS WIN