New Jerseyans support term and age limits for federal and state elected officials by large margins, a Stockton University Poll released this morning shows.
More than seven in ten residents (72%) say that elected officials should not be permitted to hold office beyond a certain age, although the poll did not specify what the age limit might be; 21% oppose the idea.
Support for age limits is more popular among Republicans (81%) and independents (73%).
But for those who back an age limit, 43% suggested between ages 60 and 69, and 33% want the cap at ages 70 to 79.
People from New Jersey also back maximum age limits for U.S. Supreme Court Justices by a 69%-22% margin; Democrats are at 73%, Republicans at 67%, and independents at 65%. Again, the poll did not say if the retirement age would be 70 – that’s when New Jersey Supreme Justices age out – or a decade later or more; Ruth Bader Ginsburg was 87 when she died in office.
Age has become a factor in the eyes of voters nationally, with polls indicating voter concern over President Joe Biden’s octogenarian status. The leading Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, is 77. Dianne Feinstein, a U.S. Senator from California, died in office this year at age 90 after considerable periods of absence due to health issues.
The poll shows support for term limits for Congress and the New Jersey Legislature at 80%.
“Support for these limits was universal,” said Alyssa Maurice, a research associate at the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy. “People of all ages and party affiliations are wary of career politicians serving indefinitely.”
More Republicans (83%) than Democrats (78%) support term limits for members of Congress; independents are at 82%. For state lawmakers, it’s 84% support from Republicans, 76% from Democrats, and 83% from independents.
“We know from other recent polling that voters hold Congress in very low regard and are frustrated with the lack of progress in solving the nation’s problems,” said John Froonjian, director of the Hughes Center. “These results show a desire for new blood and fresh thinking.”
Nearly half of the state (48%) believe Members of Congress should be limited to twelve years, 40% said two to six years, and 8% said up to 20 years.
Since New Jersey has no mechanism for voters to put a binding referendum on the ballot, a constitutional amendment to establish term and age limits for the New Jersey Legislature would have to come from the New Jersey
As a candidate for Congress in 1994, Republican Frank LoBiondo (R-Ventnor) supported term limits and pledged to leave after twelve years. By 2006 he had changed his mind and served until his retirement in 2018. Voters routinely re-elected him by wide margins.
The poll was conducted between October 9-18 with a sample size of 630 New Jersey adults and a margin of error of +/- 3.9%.