Connection: Washington, Idaho Limits

Some Idaho lawmakers will be forced off the 2002 ballot as a term limits measure first passed in 1994 takes effect.

Politicians tried to repeal the limits a year ago but were rebuffed when Gov. Dirk Kempthorne refused to sign off on the idea. He reasoned that voters had approved the limits, so they ought to stay in place.

Idaho’s term limits were first imposed by initiative. Four years later, in 1998, lawmakers placed an advisory measure on the ballot asking whether voters wanted to keep term limits only for state and local officials. A majority of voters - 53 percent - said yes.

Then, earlier this year, an eastern Idaho judge invalidated term limits for city, county and school district offices, saying the limits infringe on people’s right to vote and hold office.

The ruling paved the way for some county commission incumbents - including Kootenai County Commissioner Dick Panabaker - to remain on the general election ballot.

Idaho’s Supreme Court ultimately will decide whether term limits can be imposed without a state constitutional amendment.

Washington voters placed term limits on their legislators in a 1992 initiative, but the state Supreme Court ruled in 1998 that the change required a constitutional amendment. Because an initiative is merely a statute, the limits were struck down and have not been resurrected by the Legislature.