October 11, 2022

Term limits shift power away from the people

Topic: Issues

by Emmery Mehlhoff, NDFB Public Policy Liaison

This November, North Dakota voters will vote on Measure 1, a constitutional amendment to place term limits on the governor and the state legislators. If affirmed by 50% +1 of the people, the measure will change the North Dakota Constitution and place term limits on our state representatives for the first time. 

Many people assume Measure 1 will put term limits on North Dakota’s federal congressional delegation, but this is not the case. It only limits our local legislators. Some states tried to put terms on their U.S. Representatives, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled state governments did not have the authority to put terms on their U.S. representatives. (U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton(1995).

I recently visited with Jay Rempe, economist at Nebraska Farm Bureau who previously served as a lobbyist at the statehouse in Nebraska. 

Read the rest of Emmery's post on My NDFB Life.

Emmery was also recently interviewed by KX's Josh Meny