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 THEY REPRESENT YOU
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TERM LIMITS AND THE 2009 ELECTION
Since 1993, the three citywide elected officials, five borough presidents and 51 members of the City
Council have been limited to serving two consecutive terms in office. In October 2008 the City Council
approved, and the Mayor signed, a bill that extends this limit to three terms. This will allow those incumbents
who are completing two consecutive four-year terms in 2009 to run for a third term in November.
This action followed several public hearings at which alternatives were proposed such as having a Charter
Revision Commission review term limits, or putting the proposal on the ballot for a vote by New York
City voters since that is the way term limits were first put into effect.
Term Limits in brief:
The system of term limits was initially enacted in 1993 through a citizen referendum amending the City
Charter. At that time, proponents argued that term limits would lead to more responsive government
with less control by professional politicians. Opponents contended that term limits interfered with the
right of citizens to elect their representatives and would weaken elected officials while strengthening staff,
lobbyists and unelected "insiders." In 1996 the voters defeated a ballot referendum, proposed by the City
Council, seeking to change the limit from two to three consecutive terms. In 2001, the City Council
tried once again to change term limits from eight to twelve years, by legislation and not by referendum.
That proposal lost in committee by one vote.
In 2002, the City Council amended the term limits law to clarify the difference between a two-year term
(which happens in those years affected by the census and subsequent redistricting) and a four-year term.
The legislation provided that one two-year term would not constitute a 'full term' for the computation
of term limits. The limit now applies to two four-year terms or one four-year term and two (2) two-year
terms in those years affected by the census. The Court affirmed this action noting that the Council
"amended the term limit provisions of the City Charter without changing the length of office… which
would have otherwise required the submission of a referendum to the voters."
The Campaign Finance Program
For the past 20 years candidates for city government elective office have been able to participate in a campaign
finance program which provides public matching funds for a portion of the money each candidate
raises, provided he or she complies with the fundraising and expenditure limitations in the Campaign
Finance law. These limitations and the amount of public funds available are higher for city-wide offices
than for candidates for the City Council.
The Campaign Finance Act, originally passed in 1988, resulted from efforts to reduce corruption, foster
transparency in campaign fundraising and level the playing field to encourage more competitive elections.
Over the years, as loopholes emerged, the law was amended to expand reporting requirements,
decrease maximum allowable contributions, increase the match for small local contributions while barring
contributions from corporations, and severely limiting contributions from lobbyists and people
doing business with the city. While participation in the Campaign Finance Program is voluntary, all candidates
for NYC public office must declare their campaign finances, adhere to the contribution limits
and refrain from accepting contributions from corporations.
This law is administered by the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Board which also compiles and distributes
a voter guide to New York City registered voters prior to city elections, administers the debate program
for citywide offices, and provides information about city financing to the public. For more information
visit the Campaign Finance Board's website at www.nyccfb.info or call 212-306-7100.
Candidates who had announced their candidacy for higher office in 2009 and had raised funds for those
campaigns before the new three-term limit was passed in October, may keep the funds for use for campaigns
for higher office within four years only; the funds may not be used if they run for reelection for
seats they currently hold.
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