Alaska — Measure 7 (1998)

Overview

Alaska voters adopted Measure 7 (1998), establishing a candidate pledge system concerning congressional term limits.

The measure authorized informational ballot statements identifying candidates who declined to pledge support for a constitutional amendment establishing congressional term limits.

The measure formed part of the ballot-instruction phase of congressional term-limits reform that followed U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton (1995).

Measure Identification

• Measure name: Measure 7

• Year: 1998

• Adoption method: Citizen initiative

• Election date: November 3, 1998

• Result: Approved

Ballot Language

Measure 7 proposed a candidate pledge system relating to congressional term limits.

Candidates for Congress could pledge to support a constitutional amendment establishing term limits of:

• three terms for Members of the House of Representatives

• two terms for Members of the Senate

The initiative authorized ballot statements identifying candidates who declined to make the pledge.

Institutional Architecture

Voter Instruction Mechanism

The initiative created a system in which congressional candidates could pledge support for a constitutional amendment establishing congressional term limits.

Ballot Information Architecture

Measure 7 authorized informational statements on election ballots identifying candidates who declined to pledge support for congressional term limits.

These statements were intended to communicate candidate positions regarding the proposed amendment.

Candidate Declaration / Pledge Mechanism

Candidates could make a public pledge supporting the proposed constitutional amendment establishing congressional term limits.

Candidates declining to make the pledge could be identified through informational ballot statements.

Election Administration

Ballot Implementation

Following adoption of the initiative, Alaska election officials were authorized to implement ballot statements identifying candidates who declined to pledge support for congressional term limits.

Litigation History

The Supreme Court’s decision in Cook v. Gralike addressed ballot labels attached to congressional candidates based on policy positions.

Because Alaska’s Measure 7 authorized informational ballot statements identifying candidates who declined to pledge support for term limits, the decision affected the broader legal viability of such ballot-label systems.

Institutional Design Observations

Alaska’s Measure 7 illustrates the continuation of the ballot-information architecture following the 1996 instruction-initiative wave.

The measure replaced direct voter instruction with a candidate pledge system coupled with ballot informational statements.

Sources

• Alaska Division of Elections — Measure 7 (1998) ballot materials and election records
  https://www.elections.alaska.gov/

• Alaska Division of Elections — 1998 General Election Results
  https://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/

• Ballotpedia — Alaska Congressional Term Limits Pledge Initiative (Measure 7, 1998)
  https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Congressional_Term_Limits_Pledge_Initiative,_Measure_7_(1998)

• Cook v. Gralike, 531 U.S. 510 (2001)
  https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/us/531/510/