Term limits in the United States facts for kids

Term limits in the United States are rules that say how long a person can serve in a certain government job. Imagine a rule that says your school's student council president can only serve for two years. That's a term limit! In the United States, these rules help make sure different people get a chance to lead and bring new ideas. They also prevent one person from staying in power for too long.

State Governor Term Limits

A governor is like the president of a state. They are the top leader and make many important decisions for their state. Just like the President of the United States has term limits, many states have rules about how long their governors can serve.

Governors with No Consecutive Terms

In the state of Virginia, a governor cannot serve two terms in a row. However, they can be elected again later if someone else serves in between. There is no limit on how many total terms a governor can serve in Virginia.

Governors with Unlimited Terms

Some states allow their governors to serve for as long as they keep getting elected. There are no limits at all on how many terms they can serve. These states include New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Governors Limited to Two Total Terms

In some states, a governor can only serve a total of two terms, whether those terms are one after another or spread out over time. These states are Arkansas, California, Delaware, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, and Oklahoma.

Governors Limited to Two Consecutive Terms

Many states allow their governors to serve two terms in a row, but then they must take a break. After that break, they can run for governor again. These states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Governors with Time-Based Limits

A few states have rules based on how many years a governor can serve within a longer period.

• In Indiana and Oregon, a governor cannot serve more than 8 years out of any 12-year period.
• In Montana and Wyoming, a governor cannot serve more than 8 years out of any 16-year period.

Images for kids

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  A political cartoon showing Washington rejecting Theodore Roosevelt's highly controversial run for a third term in 1912

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  Letter from Senator Orrin Hatch, first elected in 1976, expressing reservations regarding term limits (dated February 10, 2011)