County of Boulder 1B – Sheriff Term Limit Extension to Five Terms

Amendment 17, approved by Colorado voters in 1994, limited sheriffs and many other elected officials to serving two consecutive terms, applicable “to terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 1995,” but allowed “voters to lengthen, shorten, or eliminate such limitations of terms of office.” George Epp was the Boulder County sheriff from 1990 to 2003. Joe Pelle has been serving as sheriff since the end of Sheriff Epp’s term and is in his fourth term.

In 2005 county voters approved extending the term limits from 2 terms to 3 for the sheriff, clerk and recorder, treasurer, assessor, coroner, and surveyor.

In 2011 Boulder County voters allowed the sheriff to serve 4 consecutive terms. The county commissioners had considered asking voters to exempt the sheriff from term limits but believed that extending the limit to four terms was more likely to receive voters’ approval.

The commissioners are asking voters to allow the sheriff to serve a fifth term if re-elected.

Recommendation: YES

Elected officials who appoint judges, such as presidents and governors, should definitely be subject to term limits. Other elected officials, however, should be able to stay in office as long as the voters continue approving of the job that they are doing. When we term-limit out qualified people, then the lobbyists and government staff (whom the electorate can’t hire or fire) become more powerful. When we vote to continue someone in office, then they can often push back against lobbyists and staff because they have some accumulated wisdom and seniority.

The power of incumbency in elections is a serious issue, but I believe that there are better ways to level the playing field than to impose term limits.

Website for the Yes side
No known website – Info on a supporting website appreciated.

Website for the No side
No known website – Info on an opposition website appreciated.


Approved Ballot Language

County Question 1B (Sheriff Term Limit Extension to Five Terms):
Shall the term limits imposed by state law and in Article XVIII, Section 11, of the Colorado Constitution on the office of Sheriff of Boulder County be modified so as to permit an elected officeholder in that office to seek and, if the voters of Boulder County choose to re-elect that person to a fifth term in office, to serve a fifth consecutive term?

Yes ___
No ___

See Resolution No. 2017-90 to put Question 1B to the voters
https://www.bouldercounty.org/government/county-ballot-issues/

County of Boulder 1A – Increase Sheriff’s Term Limit to Four Terms

In 2005 county voters approved extending the term limits from 2 terms to 3 for the sheriff, clerk and recorder, treasurer, assessor, coroner, and surveyor. In 2009 the voters barely approved a similar term-limit extension for the district attorney. The county commissioners considered asking voters to exempt the sheriff from term limits but believed that extending the limit to four terms was more likely to receive voters’ approval.

Recommendation: YES

As regular readers of these posts know, I’m not a fan of term limits for most elected officials. Term limits force out both good and bad officials; I like at least having the option of keeping the good officials in.

We voters in Boulder County aren’t shy about exercising term limits via the ballot box. Witness the county clerk and recorder race in 2006 (incumbent lost in the primary) and the officially nonpartisan Longmont mayor and city council - Ward 2 races in 2009.


County Question 1A: (Approved Ballot Language)

[Modification of term limits for the office of the Boulder County Sheriff]

Shall the term limits imposed by state law and in article XVIII, section 11, of the Colorado Constitution on the office of Sheriff of Boulder County, be modified so as to permit an elected officeholder in that office to seek and, if the voters of Boulder County choose to re‐elect that person to a fourth term in office, to serve a fourth consecutive term?
‐ Yes
‐ No


See Resolution No. 2011-97 to refer 1A to the voters.
http://www.bouldercounty.org/find/library/government/2011-97sheriffterms.pdf

County of Boulder 1D – DA Term Limits Extension to Three Terms

In 1994 Colorado voters approved an amendment to the constitution imposing term limits on state and local elected officials. The amendment allowed for voters to eliminate or modify the term limits. The new district attorney (first elected in 2008) asked the county commissioners to place this issue on the ballot to allow a Boulder County district attorney to seek and serve a third consecutive term. In 2005 county voters approved similar term limit extensions for the sheriff, clerk and recorder, treasurer, assessor, coroner, and surveyor,

Recommendation: YES

I tend to consider experience an asset in public office. In general, I’m in favor of the voters imposing “term limits” at the ballot box rather than the constitution imposing term limits. (An exception: If the officeholder appoints judges, e.g. the president and governors, then I am in favor of term limits.) We voters in Boulder County aren’t shy about exercising term limits via the ballot box, at least in primary elections. Witness the 2nd Congressional District CU regent race in 2002 and the county clerk and recorder race in 2006.


County of Boulder Ballot Question 1D (Approved Ballot Language)

DA Term Limits Extension to Three Terms

SHALL THE TERM LIMITS IMPOSED BY STATE LAW AND IN ARTICLE XVII, SECTION 11 (2), OF THE COLORAO CONSTITUTION ON THE OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF BOULDER COUNTY, TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, BE MODIFIED SO AS TO PERMIT AN ELECTED OFFICEHOLDER IN THAT OFFICE TO SEEK AND, IF THE VOTERS OF BOULDER COUNTY CHOOSE TO RE-ELECT THAT PERSON TO A THIRD TERM IN OFFICE, TO SERVE A THIRD CONSECUTIVE TERM?

YES _____ NO _____


Resolution No. 2009-103 referring Ballot Question 1D to the voters
http://www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/articlefiles/1764-2009-103_DA_term_limits.PDF