It's Time for Term Limits for Santa Monica City Council Members
Incumbent Councilmembers in Santa Monica almost never lose elections. In the past twenty-five years, only two incumbents have been voted out of office. Only two. In twenty-five years!
Incumbents are elected over and over again because of name recognition and the power of incumbency, which includes the power to raise money from special interests.
Unlike many other jurisdictions in California, our City imposes no limits on how many terms Councilmembers can serve.
Term limits give voters a real chance for change, change that can bring in fresh perspectives and ideas. Term limits encourage potential candidates to run. That fosters healthy competition. That is why they are so popular in the county and the state.
The term limits proposed in this measure—which would impose a lifetime limit of three terms for a total of no more than 12 years of service—are necessary to break this cycle.
It’s time for Santa Monica to join the good governance movement. Let’s adopt reasonable term limits for City Councilmembers in order to restore open access to the political process and to encourage qualified candidates to seek public office.
Incumbent Councilmembers in Santa Monica almost never lose elections. In the past twenty-five years, only two incumbents have been voted out of office. Only two. In twenty-five years!
Incumbents are elected over and over again because of name recognition and the power of incumbency, which includes the power to raise money from special interests.
Unlike many other jurisdictions in California, our City imposes no limits on how many terms Councilmembers can serve.
Term limits give voters a real chance for change, change that can bring in fresh perspectives and ideas. Term limits encourage potential candidates to run. That fosters healthy competition. That is why they are so popular in the county and the state.
The term limits proposed in this measure—which would impose a lifetime limit of three terms for a total of no more than 12 years of service—are necessary to break this cycle.
It’s time for Santa Monica to join the good governance movement. Let’s adopt reasonable term limits for City Councilmembers in order to restore open access to the political process and to encourage qualified candidates to seek public office.