Gulfport Referendum #5 Terms 3
Ballot Language:The City Charter presently does not provide term limits. Shall the City Charter be amended to require council members, who have served three (3) consecutive terms in their ward, to wait two (2) years prior to qualifying for a subsequent election for their prior office unless there are no qualified candidates for their prior office? Synopsis:In May 2025, the City Council appointed members to the Charter Review Committee to perform a full review of the City Charter for updates and/or changes.Currently, the City Charter does not state any term limits. This referendum states that any member of council who has reached the maximum term for their seat must be out of office for a minimum of two (2) years at the time of qualifying. Term limits do not apply in the case where a current Council member runs for Mayor, or vice versa. This change would take effect beginning AFTER the March 2026 elections. This referendum is directly tied to Referendum #4 (Terms 2) which would limit the Mayor and Council members to three (3) consecutive terms. An exception will only be permitted in the event there are no qualified candidates for a specific ward, or for mayor.Yes - For the MeasureRequire City Council members, who have served three consecutive terms, to wait two years prior to qualifying for a subsequent election.No - Against the MeasurePrevent City Council members, who have served three consecutive terms, to run for re-election, as there would be no defined waiting period before qualifying for election.
