Term limit laws for governors in the US vary by state, with some having no limit and others limiting to two consecutive terms. Most terms last four years, except in New Hampshire and Vermont. Term limits prevent consolidation of power and are critical for large states. American territories also have varying term limits.
Term limit laws for governors in the United States vary from state to state. Each state determines its own system and the rules can get a bit tangled and complex, at least from the point of view of outsiders. Before delving into the mysteries of term limits by state, it may be helpful to know that, for the most part, a given term lasts four years unless the official is impeached, except in New Hampshire and Vermont, where they only serve for two years. If a governor resigns or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor usually takes over.
Term limits are designed to keep the political system cool and to ensure that people don’t have the opportunity to consolidate power. Governors can be tremendously influential in their states, making term limits quite critical, as one can easily become more like an emperor than an elected official if there are no service limits. This is especially true in the case of large and powerful states like New York, California and Texas.
In Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, there is no term limit for this office. Officials can serve as many terms as citizens are willing to elect them. Virginia also has no term limit, but politicians cannot serve consecutive terms, which prevents the formation of a dynastic government office.
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming limit all governors to two consecutive terms. In many of these states, the person may run again after taking a break, although this is a relatively rare occurrence.
In Arkansas and Delaware, governors are limited to two terms, term, consecutive or not. Indiana, Nebraska, and Ohio allow them to serve as many terms as they want, but after two consecutive terms, they have to take four years off. In Montana, one gets to serve eight years out of every 16.
For those curious about term limits in the American territories, Puerto Rico has no term limit, the Northern Marianas have an absolute two-term limit, and those in the Virgin Islands must observe a four-year waiting period after two terms. consecutive, at which point they can run again. Guam and American Samoa limit their governors to two consecutive terms.
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