Term limits in Wyoming
Encyclopedia
In the U.S. state of Wyoming
, the state legislature
passed a bill limiting the office of Governor to two consecutive terms after Democratic
Governor Edgar Herschler
served three terms into the mid-1980s. Then in 1992, voters approved term limits by ballot initiative.
Neither action constituted an amendment to the Wyoming Constitution. Twelve years later, two state legislators challenged the term limit law in a lawsuit; the Wyoming Supreme Court
invalidated the limits in a unanimous decision, ruling that a constitutional amendment
would be required to establish such a law.
The ruling did not apply directly to statewide executive positions (including the office of Governor), but it was expected in early 2009 that popular Governor Dave Freudenthal
might challenge that law on the same grounds.
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, the state legislature
Wyoming Legislature
The Wyoming State Legislature is the legislative branch of the U.S. State of Wyoming. It is a bicameral state legislature, consisting of a 60 member Wyoming House of Representatives, and a 30 member Wyoming Senate. The legislature meets at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne...
passed a bill limiting the office of Governor to two consecutive terms after Democratic
Wyoming Democratic Party
The Wyoming Democratic Party is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the state of Wyoming. The party is led by State Party Chair Chuck Herz.-Legislative leaders:*Senate Minority Leader: John Hastert*House Minority Leader: W. Patrick Goggles...
Governor Edgar Herschler
Edgar Herschler
Edgar Jacob Herschler , popularly known as "Gov. Ed", was the 28th Governor of Wyoming from 1975 to 1987. Herschler built a personal appeal to voters based on charisma, a small-town background, and shrewd political maneuvering to such an extent that he was the only three-term governor in Wyoming...
served three terms into the mid-1980s. Then in 1992, voters approved term limits by ballot initiative.
Neither action constituted an amendment to the Wyoming Constitution. Twelve years later, two state legislators challenged the term limit law in a lawsuit; the Wyoming Supreme Court
Wyoming Supreme Court
The Wyoming Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The Court consists of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices. Each Justice is appointed by the Governor of Wyoming for an eight-year term. The five Justices select the Chief Justice from amongst themselves. The person...
invalidated the limits in a unanimous decision, ruling that a constitutional amendment
Constitutional amendment
A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the text of the written constitution of a nation or state.Most constitutions require that amendments cannot be enacted unless they have passed a special procedure that is more stringent than that required of ordinary legislation...
would be required to establish such a law.
The ruling did not apply directly to statewide executive positions (including the office of Governor), but it was expected in early 2009 that popular Governor Dave Freudenthal
Dave Freudenthal
David Duane "Dave" Freudenthal , is an American politician who served as the 31st Governor of Wyoming. A Democrat, he was reelected to his second term on November 7, 2006, and announced on March 4, 2010, that he would not attempt to seek a third term as Governor.-Education and early...
might challenge that law on the same grounds.