Adams proposes allowing governors to serve consecutive terms

A resolution proposed by a Henrico Democratic delegate would revise the Virginia constitution and allow the governor to serve two consecutive terms Currently, Virginia is the only state that does not allow a governor to serve at least two consecutive terms.

“In what business would any of us except a change in course every two years?” said Del. Dawn Adams asked during a speech on the House floor on Jan. 21. “What real challenges can any company overcome when its leader is but a blip on the trajectory of an employee’s career?”

Her analogy compared the governor to the owner of a business. She affirmed that allowing a governor to serve consecutive terms would increase government efficiency and overall decrease costs.

Not everyone agrees with Adams.

“I found that that if a Governor runs a campaign on constructive initiatives, reforms and ideas,” George Allen, Virginia’s 67th governor, said in an e-mail, “and, if elected keeps promises and works with the General Assembly and his/her own Administration appointees who share those promised reforms; then a Virginia governor has extensive authority to accomplish the promised missions to improve the lives and opportunities for the people of Virginia in a single, focused 4 years term.”

Allen also said he believes allowing consecutive terms would make governors spend too much time focusing on re-election campaigns.

However, Allen did agree that one thing could be improved by allowing consecutive terms.

“The only area that I saw a need for more continuity is in economic development and recruitment where relationships matter a great deal and changes in administrations could cause changes in that Commerce and Trade personnel,” Allen said.

But Adams says she believes having to be re-elected would make the governor more accountable to the constituents.

“True leadership is also accountability dependent,” Adams said. “Executive accountability is currently as true as the leader themselves; there is no avenue as represented by our ability to vote, to mandate executive accountability.”

The amendment, HJ 608, was sent to aHouse Privileges and Elections subcommittee. If passed, it would not go into effect until 2021.