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None Of The Above By Steve Lilienthal Binding NOTA By John Murray Washington State Campaign for Democracy None of the Above--- By Gary Hoover The People's Veto The Right To Vote No By John J. Pitney, Jr. NOTA Ballot Options

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"What this country needs more of is more unemployed politicians." Langley "Government is too big and important to be left to the politicians." Governor Chester Bowles "When those who are governed do too little, those who govern can, and will, do too much." Ronald Reagan "I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally." ---George Washington, Farewell Address 1796 "When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just men who will rule in the fear of God." The preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our] government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the Laws." Noah Webster 1758-1843

State Legislative Term Limits

State	Year	Limited: terms (total years allowed)	Year law takes effect	Percent Voting Yes
Arizona	1992	House: 4 terms (8 years) Senate: 4 terms (8 years)	House: 2000 Senate: 2000	74%
Arkansas	1992	House: 3 terms (6 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 1998 Senate: 2000	60%
California	1990	Assembly: 3 terms (6 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 1996 Senate: 1998	52%
Colorado	1990	House: 4 terms (8 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 1998 Senate: 1998	71%
Florida	1992	House: 4 terms (8 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 2000 Senate: 2000	77%
Louisiana **	1995	House: 3 terms (12 years) Senate: 3 terms (12 years)	House: 2007 Senate: 2007	76%
Maine *	1993	House: 4 terms (8 years) Senate: 4 terms (8 years)	House: 1996 Senate: 1996	68%
Michigan	1992	House: 3 terms (6 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 1998 Senate: 2002	59%
Missouri	1992	House: 4 terms (8 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 2002 Senate: 2002	75%
Montana	1992	House: 4 terms (8 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 2000 Senate: 2000	67%
Nebraska	2000	Unicameral: 2 terms (8 years)	Senate: 2008	56%
Nevada	1994	Assembly: 6 terms (12 years) Senate: 3 terms (12 years)	House: 2006 Senate: 2006	70%
Ohio	1992	House: 4 terms (8 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 2000 Senate: 2000	66%
Oklahoma	1990	12 year combined total for both houses	State Legislature: 2004	67%
South Dakota	1992	House: 4 terms (8 years) Senate: 2 terms (8 years)	House: 2000 Senate: 2000	64%
Wyoming ***	1992	House: 6 terms (12 years) Senate: 3 terms (12 years)	House: 2004 Senate: 2004	77%
AVERAGE % of Vote				67%

Italics	Indicate states limited by statute. All others are limited by state constitutional amendment.
*	Maine's law is retroactive.
**	Law in Louisiana was passed by the state legislature.
***	Wyoming's law was originally passed by initiative in 1994. The legislature amended the law to allow members of the House to serve 12 years. A referendum to return to the original six- year House limits garnered 54% of the vote but failed to get 50% plus one of all voters to veto the legislature.

All of the above have gubernatorial limits in addition to 20 other states.

Alaska, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Washington — in addition to all of the states listed above (excluding Louisiana) — passed federal congressional term limits before the 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision in U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton declared the necessity of a constitutional amendment to limit the terms of Congress.

Oregon voters passed term limits on their legislature and statewide officeholders in 1992 by 70% of the vote. Two termed out legislators sued the voters of Oregon in a case that made its way to the Oregon State Supreme Court. In December 2001, the court ruled that the term limits law violated single amendment requirements and threw the law out.

Idaho voters passed term limits on their legislature, statewide officeholders and local officeholders in 1994 by 59% of the vote. In 1998, the legislature placed an "advisory" question on the ballot, asking voters to reaffirm their support of term limits. Voters did so. In 2001, state and local office holders sued Idaho voters in a case that made its way to the Idaho Supreme Court, where the court ruled term limits constitutional. In February 2002, the Idaho Legislature ignored the vote of the people and became the first state in the nation to repeal their term limits law.

In an effort to block stricter legislative limits, Utah's legislature placed 12-year limits on its members, a law that was to go into effect in 2006. In March 2003, the legislature repealed their limits. Like, Idaho, Maine, and Wyoming, Utah is a statute-only state, where voters cannot pass constitutional amendments.

The following state's term limits are consecutive:	Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Ohio, South Dakota.
The following state's term limits are lifetime:	Arkansas, California, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada and Oklahoma.
The following state's term limits are a time-out four years or longer:	Colorado, Montana and Wyoming.

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