The Independent View: MO Voters to Decide Adding Term Limits for Certain State Executives

Voters in Missouri will decide a Constitutional Amendment in 2020 to Limit State Executive Officials to Two Terms.

The State Constitution currently Limits the Governor and State Treasurer to Two Terms.

This Measure would Add that Limit to the Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, and Attorney General.

The Amendment also states that if someone serves in an Acting Capacity for more than Two years of a Term to which some other Person was Elected, than they can only be Elected to that Office Once. None of the Current Officeholders have been in Office for more than Two Terms.

Missouri’s Constitution Limits the Number of Terms State Legislators can Serve under Amendment 12, which was Approved by Voters in 1992 with 75% of the Vote.

Legislators are Prohibited from Serving more than Eight years in either the State House or State Senate, or a Total of 16 years in both Chambers.

Missouri is one of 15 States where Legislators are Subject to Term Limits.

Legislative Term Limits can be either Lifetime or Consecutive. In the Nine States where the Limits are Consecutive, once a State Legislator has served the Maximum Number of Terms in Office, if Eligible, can Run for Office for the State's other Legislative Chamber, or Leave the Legislature. These States are: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, and South Dakota.

In Six of the 15 States with Limits on State Legislators, the Limit is a Lifetime Limit. These States are: Arkansas, California, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, and Oklahoma. In these States, once a Legislator has Served the Maximum Allowable Number of Terms in a particular Legislative Chamber, they may Never again Run for or Hold Office in that Particular Chamber.

The Measure was Sponsored by State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R-34th District), who said “The voters of Missouri have made it clear they emphatically support term limits. This measure will bring consistency to our term limits for all state officials and prevent them from becoming career politicians.” Luetkemeyer was Elected in 2018.

State Sen. Ed Emery (R-31st District), who Opposed the Amendment in the Legislature, said that certain Executive Offices, like the Auditor and Attorney General, require Experience and shouldn’t be Term Limited like other Offices. He said, "We want people in there who are experienced and know the job and know what they’re doing. I do think that those are a little different categorically and functionally than those top executive positions."

The Amendment Passed the State Senate by a 31-3 Vote and was Approved by the State House 114-32.

Thirty-Six States impose Constitutional or Statutory Limitations on the Number of Terms the Governor can Serve. Some States also impose this Limit on other State Elected Officials while other states have Term Limits for some Officials but Not others.