ABSTRACT
The movement to limit the number of terms served by legislators at both national and state levels has provoked heated debate about the possible effects of term limits. This chapter examines the question of whether term limits lead to greater diversity among legislators in terms of their gender, race, and ethnicity. Vote Smart collects demographic data on candidates in state wide and state legislative races across the country. Additionally, Vote Smart administers a "National Political Awareness Test" which measures candidates' stances on issues of importance in each state. Among scholars, the argument that term limits might well lead to more diverse legislatures by increasing the representation of previously underrepresented groups has more often been made regarding women than minorities. The high level of success that minorities had in retaining seats is undoubtedly a reflection of the fact that many minority legislators represent majority-minority districts.
