BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — After only six months, Kern County residents collected more than enough signatures in support of term limits on county elected officials to get it on the November ballot.
Community members who make up the ‘We Are Kern County Coalition’ reached a huge milestone in their campaign to enact term limits for county officials and gathered at the here at the administration building.
“The current board has had enough chances to prove that they care about us, it's time for real leaders it’s time for people who look like us to represent us,” said Sandy Moreno, Term Limit Proponent and community member.
What are Term Limits?
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. There are different types of term limits. Sometimes, there is an absolute limit on the number of terms a person can serve, while in other cases, the restrictions are merely on the number of consecutive terms.
- Ballotpedia
Kern County residents marched to deliver nearly 30,000 signatures to the county elections office in favor of enacting term limits on county elected officials.
“[The] Board of Supervisors has shown us they don’t prioritize good jobs and our economy is suffering because of it.”
Supporter Sandy Moreno said she hopes term limits will bring new leadership and ideas to Kern County.
“It's time for real leaders, it’s time for people who look like us to represent us from Delano to Ridgecrest.”
The proponents are calling for terms to be limited to two terms or eight years.
“It makes it possible for the community to adapt to the changes that they need within the community,” said Jeff Heinle, Bakersfield resident.
23ABC reached out to the county, which had no comment on the matter. We also reached out to each board member but did not get a response.
Dolores Huerta: “It's time for you to go. It’s time to get people out there elected that are going to care about the people here, to give us the resources we need especially in our low-income communities.”
Proponents will continue working with the elections office to certify the number of signatures needed in order to place the measure in this year’s election cycle.
23ABC In-Depth
You may be wondering which other political offices around the country currently have term limits. 23ABC took a deep dive and found some information for you from the website Ballotpedia.
A section of the 22nd Amendment of the United States Constitution says that no person can be elected President of the United States more than twice. Meaning no president can serve more than 8 years in a row.
22nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
When it comes to Congress though its different. In May 1995, the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-to-4 that states cannot impose term limits upon their U.S. Representatives or U.S. Senators.
In California, both the assembly and the state senate can only serve 12 years total.
And like the president, a person elected to be governor in our state can only run twice for a total of 8 years in a row.