City of Eagle River voters will consider a local ordinance referendum establishing term limits for the offices of mayor and alderperson.

Under the proposed ordinance, no person could serve more than four consecutive two-year terms (eight consecutive years) as either mayor or alderperson. A person who serves four consecutive terms would be required to sit out for six years before seeking the same office again, and could not immediately switch between the offices of mayor and alderperson.

The referendum specifies that terms served both prior to and after enactment would count toward the limit.
The measure reached the ballot after city residents collected signatures earlier this summer. Following validation of the direct petition on July 24, the Eagle River City Council voted to deny adoption of the ordinance at its August meeting, instead sending the question to voters for a final decision on the November ballot.

Supporters of the measure say that term limits encourage new civic participation and bring fresh perspectives to city government.

Critics argue that term limits strip voters of the right to retain experienced, capable leaders and eliminate valuable institutional knowledge on the council. Furthermore, opponents say that rural municipalities like Eagle River already face a very limited pool of candidates willing to run for public office, warning that imposing strict term limits could exacerbate local candidate shortages and leave seats unfilled.

Ballot question

The referendum will appear exclusively on ballots for residents living within the city limits of Eagle River.
The question on the ballot will read as follows: Shall the City of Eagle River adopt a charter ordinance creating Section 2-105 of the Eagle River Municipal Code to establish term limits for the offices of Mayor and Alderperson by:

1. Limiting service as Mayor or Alderperson to four consecutive two-year terms;

2. Requiring a six-year period before a person who has served four consecutive terms may again serve in the same office;

3. Prohibiting a person who has served four consecutive terms as Mayor from immediately serving as an Alderperson, and prohibiting a person who has served four consecutive terms as an Alderperson from immediately serving as Mayor; and

4. Counting terms served both before and after enactment of the ordinance when applying these term limits.
Voters can choose yes or no on the ballot. A “yes” vote approves the term limits ordinance, while a “no” vote maintains current city code with no term limits.