Wyoming — Initiative 1 (1996)

Overview

Wyoming voters considered Initiative 1 (1996), proposing a ballot-instruction measure concerning congressional term limits. The initiative called on Wyoming’s congressional delegation, state legislators, and governor to advocate for a constitutional amendment establishing congressional term limits. 

The initiative also proposed ballot labels identifying candidates who did not support every possible legislative action to promote congressional term limits. 

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

The measure was defeated. 

Measure Identification

• Measure name: Initiative 1

• Year: 1996

• Adoption method: Indirect initiated state statute

• Election date: November 5, 1996

• Result: Defeated 

Ballot Language

Initiative 1 proposed calling on Wyoming’s congressional delegation, state legislators, and governor to advocate for a constitutional amendment establishing congressional term limits. 

The proposed amendment specified limits of:

• three terms for Members of the House of Representatives

• two terms for Members of the Senate

The initiative also proposed ballot labels identifying candidates who did not support every possible legislative action to promote term limits. 

Institutional Architecture

Voter Instruction Mechanism

The initiative proposed a voter-instruction architecture directed not only to Wyoming’s congressional delegation but also to state elected officials, calling on them to advocate for a constitutional amendment establishing congressional term limits. 

Ballot Information Architecture

Initiative 1 proposed ballot labels identifying candidates who did not support every possible legislative action to promote congressional term limits. 

These ballot statements communicated candidate positions regarding term-limits advocacy.

Candidate Declaration / Pledge Mechanism

The initiative did not center on a pledge form in the same manner as some later 1998 measures. Instead, it paired advocacy expectations with ballot-label consequences for non-support.

Ballot Implementation

Because the measure was defeated, no ballot-label system was implemented. 

Administrative History

No administrative system was established following the defeat of Initiative 1. 

Litigation History

The broader legal environment for ballot-label systems was later affected by Cook v. Gralike (2001). 

Relationship to Cook v. Gralike (2001)

Wyoming’s Initiative 1 proposed ballot labels tied to candidate support for congressional term-limits advocacy. Because the initiative was defeated, it did not generate implementation litigation of the type later addressed in Cook v. Gralike(2001). 

Institutional Design Observations

Wyoming’s Initiative 1 illustrates a ballot-instruction and ballot-label architecture within the 1996 reform wave. It is also distinctive in extending the advocacy call beyond Members of Congress to include state legislators and the governor. 

Sources

• Ballotpedia — Wyoming Initiative 1, Officials to Advocate for Congressional Term Limits Measure (1996)
  https://ballotpedia.org/Wyoming_Initiative_1%2C_Officials_to_Advocate_for_Congressional_Term_Limits_Measure_%281996%29

• Wyoming Secretary of State — Initiative and Referendum Summary
  https://sos.wyo.gov/Elections/Docs/IRSum.pdf

• Wyoming Elections Division — 1996 General Election Results materials
  https://sos.wyo.gov/Elections/Results.aspx