by Bob Priddy for Missourinet

A proposal on the November 3 ballot further limits Missourians’ abilities to vote for incumbents they like.

Amendment 1 extends the two-term limit for Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and State auditor. The governor and the state treasurer already are term-limited.

But history shows Missourians might have a hypocritical streak on this issue.

When given a chance to vote for more terms for candidates, Missouri voters have a propensity to do it. It’s how Peter Kinder served three terms as lieutenant governor; Jay Nixon served sixteen as state attorney general; Forest Smith served four terms as state auditor. One of his successors, Haskell Holman, served 18 years.

Missourians limited their opportunities to vote when they supported term limits in 1992, with limits kicking in with the 1994 election—at which time many legislators who already had served eight or more years were elected for even more.