- Northampton County voters will decide in November whether to cap how many consecutive terms most county officials can serve in office
- Three ballot questions would limit the county controller and executive to two consecutive terms, and limit members of the council to three consecutive terms
- To support the proposed term limits in November, vote “yes”; to oppose them, vote “no”
EASTON, Pa. — All the way at the bottom of next month’s general election ballot in Northampton County, voters will have a chance to impose term limits on most county-level elected officials.
Voters will weigh in on proposed amendments to the county’s home rule charter limiting the county executive and controller to two consecutive four-year terms; members of the county council could serve three consecutive terms.
Officials could run again after some time out of office since the proposed amendments only restrict consecutive terms. Because implementing the limits requires an amendment to the county’s home rule charter, voters will have the final say.
Each of the three affected offices has its own ballot question; a “yes” vote on each question means supporting the new term limit for that official.
If a majority of voters approve the amendments, the two- or three-term clock for officeholders will start with the next election for each office. As a result, the referendum will not affect County Executive Lamont McClure’s planned run for a third term in 2025.
The proposed limits began with the county council, which voted this past summer to put them before voters in November. After McClure issued a veto striking them from the ballot, the council voted to override it.
"If people say they want [term limits], they will then vote for it... It’s good practice to get fresh blood.”Northampton County Councilman John Goffredo
Ahead of the vote to override McClure’s veto, Councilwoman Lori Vargo Heffner said the idea for a cap on consecutive terms emerged from past discussions among members of the council. By putting the question to voters, she said, “County Council has done its job.”
“If people say they want [term limits], they will then vote for it,” said Councilman John Goffredo. “It’s good practice to get fresh blood.”
Not every member of the council supported the proposal.
“None of us here sitting on council are Strom Thurmond. None of us sitting here on council today are decrepit."Northampton County Councilwoman Tara Zrinski
“None of us here sitting on council are Strom Thurmond. None of us sitting here on council today are decrepit,” said Councilwoman Tara Zrinski who voted against the term limits. “This referendum will take away the votes of all future voters.”
The council already adopted similar rules for itself in 2015. However, because the question never went before voters, the existing restrictions may not have any legal weight.
Only one elected county office, the district attorney, is without a proposed term limit on November’s ballot.
Members of the County Council voted in August to place a question on the 2024 primary ballot that would limit district attorneys to three consecutive terms.
