Comparison of U.S. state governments

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In the United States, the government of each of the 50 states is structured in accordance with its individual constitution. In turn, each state constitution must be grounded in republican principles. Article IV, Section 4, Clause 1 of the United States Constitution tasks the federal government with assuring that each state's government is so organized. [1]

Contents

All state governments are modeled after the federal government and consist of three branches (although the three-branch structure is not Constitutionally required): executive, legislative, and judicial. [2] [3] All state governments are also organized as presidential systems where the governor is both head of government and head of state (even though this too is not required). The government of each of the five permanently inhabited U.S. territories is modeled and organized in a like fashion.

Each state is itself a sovereign entity, and as such, reserves the right to organize in any way (within the above stated parameter) deemed appropriate by its people. As a result, while the governments of the various states share many similar features, they often vary greatly with regard to form and substance. No two state governments are identical. The following tables compare and contrast some of the features of U.S. state governments.

Legislative

With the exception of Nebraska, all American state legislatures are bicameral, meaning there is one legislative body separated into two units. Nebraska eliminated its lower house with a referendum during the 1936 elections. Also, some systems, such as New York's, have two legislative bodies while never technically referring to them in the state constitution as a single body. These dual systems are generally considered bicameral.

Lower houseUpper houseRatioTotal
StateLegislative branch
constitutional name
NameSizeTerm length (years)Term limitNameSizeTerm length (years)Term limitFilibuster possibleLower to Upper house sizeTotal
Alabama Alabama Legislature Alabama House of Representatives 1054None Alabama Senate 354NoneYes3140
Alaska Alaska Legislature Alaska House of Representatives 402None Alaska Senate 204NoneYes260
Arizona Arizona Legislature Arizona House of Representatives 602Four consecutive terms [4] Arizona Senate 302Four consecutive terms [4] No290
Arkansas Arkansas General Assembly Arkansas House of Representatives 1002Three terms Arkansas Senate 352 or 4Two 4 year termsYes2.857143135
California California State Legislature California State Assembly 80212 years in either house, combined [5] California State Senate 40412 years in either house, combined [5] No2120
Colorado Colorado General Assembly Colorado House of Representatives 652Four consecutive terms Colorado Senate 354Two consecutive termsNo1.857143100
Connecticut Connecticut General Assembly Connecticut House of Representatives 1512None Connecticut Senate 362NoneYes4.194444187
Delaware Delaware General Assembly Delaware House of Representatives 412None Delaware Senate 212 or 4NoneNo1.95238162
Florida Florida Legislature Florida House of Representatives 1202Four terms Florida Senate 402 or 4Two termsYes3160
Georgia Georgia General Assembly Georgia House of Representatives 1802None Georgia Senate 562NoneNo3.214286236
Hawaii Hawaii State Legislature Hawaii House of Representatives 512None Hawaii Senate 254NoneYes2.0476
Idaho Idaho Legislature Idaho House of Representatives 702None Idaho Senate 352NoneYes2105
Illinois Illinois General Assembly Illinois House of Representatives 1182None Illinois Senate 592 or 4NoneNo2177
Indiana Indiana General Assembly Indiana House of Representatives 1002None Indiana Senate 504NoneNo2150
Iowa Iowa General Assembly Iowa House of Representatives 1002None Iowa Senate 504NoneNo2150
Kansas Kansas Legislature Kansas House of Representatives 1252None Kansas Senate 404NoneNo3.125165
Kentucky Kentucky General Assembly Kentucky House of Representatives 1002None Kentucky Senate 384NoneNo2.631579138
Louisiana Louisiana State Legislature Louisiana House of Representatives 1054Three terms Louisiana State Senate 394Three termsNo2.692308144
Maine Maine Legislature Maine House of Representatives 1532Four terms Maine Senate 352Four termsYes4.371429188
Maryland Maryland General Assembly Maryland House of Delegates 1414None Maryland State Senate 474NoneNo3188
Massachusetts General Court of Massachusetts Massachusetts House of Representatives 1602None Massachusetts Senate 402NoneNo4200
Michigan Michigan Legislature Michigan House of Representatives 1102Three terms Michigan Senate 384Two termsNo2.894737148
Minnesota Minnesota Legislature Minnesota House of Representatives 1342None Minnesota Senate 672 or 4NoneNo2201
Mississippi Mississippi Legislature Mississippi House of Representatives 1224None Mississippi State Senate 524NoneYes2.346154174
Missouri Missouri General Assembly Missouri House of Representatives 1632Four terms [6] Missouri Senate 344Eight years [6] (Two terms)No4.794118197
Montana Montana State Legislature Montana House of Representatives 1002Four terms Montana Senate 504Two termsNo2150
Nebraska Nebraska Legislature N/AN/AN/AN/AUnicameral and nonpartisan494Two termsYesN/A49
Nevada Nevada Legislature Nevada Assembly 422Six terms Nevada Senate 214Three termsNo263
New Hampshire New Hampshire General Court New Hampshire House of Representatives 4002None New Hampshire Senate 242NoneNo16.66667424
New Jersey New Jersey Legislature New Jersey General Assembly 802None New Jersey Senate 402 or 4NoneNo2120
New Mexico New Mexico Legislature New Mexico House of Representatives 702None New Mexico Senate 424NoneNo1.666667112
New York New York State Legislature New York State Assembly 1502None New York State Senate 632NoneNo2.380952213
North Carolina North Carolina General Assembly North Carolina House of Representatives 1202None North Carolina Senate 502NoneNo2.4170
North Dakota North Dakota Legislative Assembly North Dakota House of Representatives 944None North Dakota Senate 474NoneNo2141
Ohio Ohio General Assembly Ohio House of Representatives 992Four terms Ohio Senate 334Two termsNo3132
Oklahoma Oklahoma Legislature Oklahoma House of Representatives 101212 years in either house, combined Oklahoma Senate 48412 years in either house, combinedNo2.104167149
Oregon Oregon Legislative Assembly Oregon House of Representatives 602None [note 1] Oregon State Senate 304None [note 2] No290
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania General Assembly Pennsylvania House of Representatives 2032None Pennsylvania State Senate 504NoneNo4.06253
Rhode Island Rhode Island General Assembly Rhode Island House of Representatives 752None Rhode Island Senate 382NoneNo1.973684113
South Carolina South Carolina General Assembly South Carolina House of Representatives 1242None South Carolina Senate 464NoneYes2.695652170
South Dakota South Dakota State Legislature South Dakota House of Representatives 702Four terms South Dakota Senate 354Two termsNo2105
Tennessee Tennessee General Assembly Tennessee House of Representatives 992None Tennessee Senate 334NoneNo3132
Texas Texas Legislature Texas House of Representatives 1502None Texas Senate 312 or 4NoneYes4.83871181
Utah Utah State Legislature Utah House of Representatives 752None Utah State Senate 294NoneYes2.586207104
Vermont Vermont General Assembly Vermont House of Representatives 1502None Vermont Senate 302NoneYes5180
Virginia Virginia General Assembly Virginia House of Delegates 1002None Senate of Virginia 404NoneNo2.5140
Washington Washington State Legislature Washington House of Representatives 982None Washington State Senate 494NoneNo2147
West Virginia West Virginia Legislature West Virginia House of Delegates 1002None West Virginia Senate 344NoneNo2.941176134
Wisconsin Wisconsin Legislature Wisconsin State Assembly 992None Wisconsin Senate 334NoneNo3132
Wyoming Wyoming Legislature Wyoming House of Representatives 602None Wyoming Senate 304NoneNo290

Supermajority requirements

While only 13 states have a filibuster, there are often restrictions on the majority a state needs to raise taxes.

Legend

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Effective supermajority system
Majority rule (22)
Mixed system US state legislatures by majoritarian operation.svg
Legend
  Effective supermajority system
  Majority rule (22)
  Mixed system
Key StateNotes
AlabamaThe Alabama State Senate allows a filibuster, and has a general three-fifths requirement to enact cloture. A simple majority of 18 is acceptable when dealing with the budget and redistricting. [7]
ArkansasArkansas, along with Rhode Island, is one of the only states that requires a supermajority to pass a budget. A three-fourths majority is required for appropriations, except for education, highways, and paying down the state debt, which require a simple majority. [8]
California From 1933-2011 there was a two-thirds requirement for general fund appropriations for purposes other than public schools (Const., Art. IV, Sec. 12). Because the Legislature typically passes one main budget bill, the requirement effectively applied to the whole budget bill. [8] There has been a two-thirds requirement for tax increases since Proposition 13 in 1978. In 2010, voters approved Proposition 25, eliminating the 2/3 requirement for the budget, but keeping it for tax increases.

Executive

The Governor is the chief executive official in each state.

StateGovernor term lengthGovernor term limitLieutenant GovernorFirst in line of succession
Alabama Four yearsTwo consecutive termsYesLieutenant Governor
Alaska Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Arizona Four yearsTwo consecutive terms [note 3] NoSecretary of State
Arkansas Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
California Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Colorado Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Connecticut Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Delaware Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Florida Four yearsTwo consecutive termsYesLieutenant Governor
Georgia Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Hawaii Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Idaho Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Illinois Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Indiana Four yearsTwo terms in a 12-year period [note 4] YesLieutenant Governor
Iowa Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Kansas Four yearsThere is no lifetime limit on the number, but one must be out of office for at least one election cycle after serving 2 consecutive terms before being eligible again.YesLieutenant Governor
Kentucky Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Louisiana Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Maine Four yearsTwo termsNoPresident of the Senate
Maryland Four yearsTwo consecutive termsYesLieutenant Governor
Massachusetts Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Michigan Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Minnesota Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Mississippi Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Missouri Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Montana Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Nebraska Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Nevada Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
New Hampshire Two yearsNoneNoPresident of the Senate
New Jersey Four yearsTwo termsYes [note 5] Lieutenant Governor
New Mexico Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
New York Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
North Carolina Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
North Dakota Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Ohio Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Oklahoma Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Oregon Four yearsTwo consecutive termsNoSecretary of State
Pennsylvania Four yearsTwo consecutive terms [note 6] YesLieutenant Governor
Rhode Island Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
South Carolina Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
South Dakota Four yearsTwo termsYesLieutenant Governor
Tennessee Four yearsTwo termsYes [note 7] President of the Senate
Texas Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Utah Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Vermont Two yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Virginia Four yearsNo limit on number, but terms cannot be consecutiveYesLieutenant Governor
Washington Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
West Virginia Four yearsTwo termsYes [note 8] President of the Senate
Wisconsin Four yearsNoneYesLieutenant Governor
Wyoming Four yearsTwo termsNoSecretary of State

Note: Table does not distinguish between consecutive term limits and total term limits, unless otherwise noted.

Judicial

StateHighest courtHigh court seatsHigh court termHigh court judicial placement methodMandatory retirement age [note 9]
Alabama Supreme Court of Alabama 96 yearsPartisan election
Alaska Alaska Supreme Court 510 years Missouri Plan
Arizona Arizona Supreme Court 76 years Missouri Plan 70
Arkansas Arkansas Supreme Court 78 yearsNon-partisan election
California Supreme Court of California 712 yearsModified Missouri Plan
Colorado Colorado Supreme Court 710 years Missouri Plan
Connecticut Connecticut Supreme Court 78 years [9] Election by the state legislature70
Delaware Delaware Supreme Court 512 yearsAppointment by governor
Florida Florida Supreme Court 76 yearsModified Missouri Plan70 (or end of current term)
Georgia Supreme Court of Georgia 76 yearsNon-partisan election
Hawaii Supreme Court of Hawaii 510 yearsAppointment by the Governor70
Idaho Idaho Supreme Court 56 yearsNon-partisan election
Illinois Supreme Court of Illinois 710 yearsPartisan election
Indiana Indiana Supreme Court 510 years [note 10] Missouri Plan 75 [note 11]
Iowa Iowa Supreme Court 78 years Missouri Plan 72
Kansas Kansas Supreme Court 76 years Missouri Plan 70 (or end of current term)
Kentucky Kentucky Supreme Court 78 yearsNon-partisan election
Louisiana Supreme Court of Louisiana 710 yearsPartisan election
Maine Maine Supreme Judicial Court 77 yearsAppointment by the Governor
Maryland Maryland Court of Appeals 710 yearsAppointment by the Governor70
Massachusetts Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court 7LifetimeAppointment by the Governor70
Michigan Michigan Supreme Court 78 yearsNon-partisan election [note 12] Must be under 70 at time of election
Minnesota Minnesota Supreme Court 76 yearsNon-partisan election70
Mississippi Supreme Court of Mississippi 98 yearsNon-partisan election
Missouri Supreme Court of Missouri 712 years Missouri Plan
Montana Montana Supreme Court 78 yearsNon-partisan election
Nebraska Nebraska Supreme Court 76 years Missouri Plan
Nevada Supreme Court of Nevada 76 yearsNon-partisan election
New Hampshire New Hampshire Supreme Court 5LifetimeAppointment by Governor70
New Jersey New Jersey Supreme Court 77 years [10] Appointment by Governor70
New Mexico New Mexico Supreme Court 58 yearsPartisan election/Retention election
New York New York Court of Appeals 714 yearsAppointed by the Governor70 (at end of calendar year)
North Carolina North Carolina Supreme Court 78 yearsNon-partisan election
North Dakota North Dakota Supreme Court 510 yearsNon-partisan election
Ohio Ohio Supreme Court 76 yearsNon-partisan election70 (at end of term)
Oklahoma Oklahoma Supreme Court
Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
Supreme Court: 9
Court of Criminal Appeals: 5
6 years (both) Missouri Plan
Oregon Oregon Supreme Court 76 yearsNon-partisan election75
Pennsylvania Supreme Court of Pennsylvania 710 yearsPartisan election78
Rhode Island Rhode Island Supreme Court 5Lifetime [11] Missouri Plan None [11]
South Carolina South Carolina Supreme Court 510 yearsElection by State Legislature72
South Dakota South Dakota Supreme Court 58 yearsNon-partisan election
Tennessee Tennessee Supreme Court 58 years Tennessee Plan (Modified Missouri Plan)
Texas Texas Supreme Court
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
9 (both)6 years (both)Partisan election75 (may finish term or 4 years of term, whichever is shorter)
Utah Utah Supreme Court 54 years Missouri Plan
Vermont Vermont Supreme Court 56 yearsElection by State Legislature
Virginia Supreme Court of Virginia 712 yearsElection by State Legislature70 [12]
Washington Washington Supreme Court 96 yearsNon-partisan election75
West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia 512 yearsPartisan election
Wisconsin Wisconsin Supreme Court 710 yearsNon-partisan election
Wyoming Wyoming Supreme Court 58 years Missouri Plan

Note: Table does not distinguish between term lengths that result in a new election and term lengths that result in a retention vote but not a full election.

See also

Notes

  1. State representatives were limited to three terms (6 years) until term limits were repealed by Oregon Ballot Measure 3 (1992).
  2. State senators were limited to two terms (8 years) until term limits were repealed by Oregon Ballot Measure 3 (1992).
  3. Governor may serve unlimited terms but only two in a row.
  4. Governors of Indiana may serve an unlimited number of terms, but may only serve for eight years in any twelve-year period. (Constitution of Indiana Article 5)
  5. Office created in 2005 and implemented in 2009
  6. There are no limits on the number of terms a governor may serve in total as long as there is a four-year break after a second term.
  7. The President of the Senate is also the Lieutenant Governor.
  8. The President of the Senate is also the Lieutenant Governor.
  9. Uncompleted entries do not indicate the lack of a retirement age, only a lack of data in this article. States without a mandatory retirement age will indicate "None".
  10. Retention election held after two years of service. Mandatory retirement at age 75.
  11. The Indiana retirement age is the same regardless of the length of the Justice's remaining term.
  12. While Michigan law stipulates that State Supreme Court judges be listed on the "non-partisan" section on the ballot, only candidates who have been nominated by political parties with ballot access at their respective state conventions are allowed to stand in the succeeding general election. Subsequently, each party is only allowed to nominate as many candidates as there are supreme court seats up for election in a given year.

Related Research Articles

The government of the U.S. state of Missouri is organized into the state government and local government, including county government, and city and municipal government.

Governor of Indiana American politician

The Governor of Indiana is the head of state and head of government of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide executive officers, who manage other state government agencies. The governor works out of the Indiana Statehouse and holds official functions at the Indiana Governor's Residence in the state capital of Indianapolis.

Michigan Legislature

The Michigan Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of an upper chamber, the Senate, and a lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the Legislature and how it is to be constituted. The chief purposes of the Legislature are to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws. The Legislature meets in the Capitol building in Lansing.

Colorado General Assembly State legislature

The Colorado General Assembly is the state legislature of the State of Colorado. It is a bicameral legislature that was created by the 1876 state constitution. Its statutes are codified in the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.). The session laws are published in the Session Laws of Colorado.

New Jersey Legislature

The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate. The Legislature meets in the New Jersey State House, in the state capital of Trenton. Democrats currently hold veto-proof supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature.

Tennessee General Assembly

The Tennessee General Assembly (TNGA) is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is a part-time bicameral legislature consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Speaker of the Senate carries the additional title and office of Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee. In addition to passing a budget for state government plus other legislation, the General Assembly appoints three state officers specified by the state constitution. It is also the initiating body in any process to amend the state's constitution.

Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico Territorial legislature of Puerto Rico

The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is the territorial legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, responsible for the legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico. The Assembly is a bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate normally composed by 27 senators, and the lower house, the House of Representatives normally composed by 51 representatives. Eleven members of each house are elected at-large rather than from a specific legislative district with all members being elected for a four-year term without term limits.

Supreme Court of Florida The highest court in the U.S. state of Florida

The Supreme Court of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. It consists of seven members—the chief justice and six justices. Five members are chosen from five districts around the state to foster geographic diversity and two are selected at-large.

Government of Florida

The government of Florida is established and operated according to the Constitution of Florida and is composed of three branches of government: the executive branch consisting of the governor of Florida and the other elected and appointed constitutional officers; the legislative branch, the Florida Legislature, consisting of the Senate and House; and the judicial branch consisting of the Supreme Court of Florida and lower courts. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, and ratification.

Nevada Legislature Bicameral legislative branch for the state of Nevada

The Nevada Legislature is a bicameral body, consisting of the lower house, the Assembly, with 42 members, and the upper house, the Senate, with 21. With a total of 63 seats, the Legislature is the third-smallest bicameral state legislature in the United States, after Alaska's and Delaware's (62). The Nevada State Legislature as of 2019 is the first majority female State Legislature in the history of the United States. The Democratic Party currently controls both houses of the Nevada State Legislature.

Louisiana State Legislature

The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana State Senate with 39 senators. Members of each house are elected from single-member districts of roughly equal populations.

Oklahoma Senate

The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution.

In the United States, term limits, also referred to as rotation in office, restrict the number of terms of office an officeholder may serve. At the federal level, the 22nd Amendment to the United States Constitution limits the president of the United States to two four-year terms. State government offices in some, but not all states, are term-limited, including for executive, legislative, and judicial office.

Government of New Jersey Overview of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey

The government of the State of New Jersey is separated into three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The powers of the State of New Jersey are vested by the Constitution of New Jersey, enacted in 1947, in a bicameral state legislature, the Governor, and the state courts, headed the New Jersey Supreme Court. The powers and duties of these branches are further defined by acts of the state legislature, including the creation of executive departments and courts inferior to the Supreme Court. Like most states, the state allows the incorporation of county, and other local municipal government.

A term of office is the length of time a person serves in a particular elected office. In many jurisdictions there is a defined limit on how long terms of office may be before the officeholder must be subject to re-election. Some jurisdictions exercise term limits, setting a maximum number of terms an individual may hold in a particular office.

Government of Kansas

The government of the U.S. state of Kansas, established by the Kansas Constitution, is a republican democracy modeled after the Federal Government of the United States. The state government has three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. Through a system of separation of powers, or "checks and balances," each of these branches has some authority to act on its own, and also some authority to regulate the other two branches, so that all three branches can limit and balance the others' authority.

Michigan has a republican form of government with three branches of government: the executive branch consisting of the Governor of Michigan and the other independently elected constitutional officers; the legislative branch consisting of the House of Representatives and Senate; and the judicial branch consisting of the one court of justice. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, recall, and ratification.

Government of West Virginia

The Government of West Virginia is modeled after the Government of the United States, with three branches: the executive, consisting of the Governor of West Virginia and the other elected constitutional officers; the legislative, consisting of the West Virginia Legislature which includes the Senate and the House of Delegates; and the judicial, consisting of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and lower courts.

Arkansas General Assembly Legislature of Arkansas

The Arkansas General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house Arkansas Senate with 35 members, and the lower Arkansas House of Representatives with 100 members. All 135 representatives and state senators represent an equal number of constituent districts. The General Assembly convenes on the second Monday of every other year. A session lasts for 60 days unless the legislature votes to extend it. The Governor of Arkansas can issue a "call" for a special session during the interims between regular sessions. The General Assembly meets at the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock.

Elections in Idaho

Some type of election in Idaho occurs annually in each of the state’s cities and towns, the exact type of which is dependent on the year. Elections for federal and statewide offices occur in even-numbered years, while municipal elections occur in odd-numbered years.

References

  1. Natelson, Robert G. "Essays on Article IV: Guarantee Clause". The Heritage Foundation.
  2. "State & Local Government". whitehouse.gov. The White House.
  3. "Frequently Asked Questions About the Minnesota Legislature". Minnesota State Legislature.
  4. 1 2 "Arizona Constitution, Art. 4, Part 2, Sec. 21". Archived from the original on 2019-05-04. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  5. 1 2 The new limit was decided by referendum as Proposition 28, on June 2012. Between 1990 to that date, one could serve 3 terms in the House and 2 in the Senate, which means the new limit is globally earlier but roughly doubles in each body.
  6. 1 2 Missouri Constitution, Art. III, Sec. 8
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-07. Retrieved 2013-06-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. 1 2 http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/budget/supermajority-vote-requirements-to-pass-the-budget.aspx
  9. Judgepedia.org, Connecticut Supreme Court, found here.
  10. Refers to initial "probation" period. If the governor reappoints them (almost universally true) they then serve for life
  11. 1 2 Linda Greenhouse, "The Case for Term Limits on the Supreme Court with Linda Greenhouse", Yale Political Union, May 28, 2009,
  12. Aaron Applegate, Mike Saewitz, "Bill seeks to raise mandatory retirement age for judges to 73", The Virginian-Pilot, February 4, 2010,

Sources