The latest Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies Poll explored a number of proposals aimed at reforming local government; they found over 75% of California voters support term limits for local county supervisors, district attorneys, and sheriffs.
Term limits in California is not a new idea. In 1990, California voters passed Proposition 140 changing Sacramento by setting term limits for state legislators. After the subsequent passage of Proposition 28, in 2012, state legislators may serve a lifetime maximum of 12 years in the State Legislature.
Currently, term limit laws do not apply to many local elected offices, including county supervisors, district attorneys, and sheriffs. The recent Berkeley IGS Poll, found strong bipartisan support for term limits on local elected officials with three quarters of statewide voters in favor of setting term limits for county supervisors (77%), district attorneys (77%), and county sheriffs (73%).
The California legislature is composed of an Assembly and a Senate, each consisting of 80 and 40 members, respectively. Members of the Assembly are elected for two-year terms, while Senators are elected for four-year terms, with one-half of the membership elected every two years. During his or her lifetime a person may serve no more than 12 years in the Senate, Assembly, or both, in any combination of terms.
The Berkeley poll on term limits for local offices found a majority consensus (three in four voters) that two terms (8 years) is the preferred limit that should apply to each office.
In addition to term limits, the study found voters support changing local election laws which would require the top two finishers in a primary election to compete in the general election. Those responding to the survey also said the timing to elect local offices should coincide when gubernatorial or presidential elections are held, which typically draw a higher turnout of voters.
For additional information on the Berkeley IGS poll please visit: Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies