(Host) Vermont won’t be extending the governor’s term in office anytime in the near future. That’s because the Senate Government Operations committee has voted to reject a proposed constitutional amendment creating a four year term. The vote in committee was 3 to 2.
Vermont and New Hampshire are the only two states in the country that maintain a two year term for governor.
Committee chairwoman Jeannette White says the vote means that the issue won’t come before lawmakers again for a number of years because of the way the constitutional process works:
(White) "Dead … so now it’s another four years before we’ll take it up again."
(HOST) White says she found no compelling reason to change the current system:
(White) "I voted with the majority of people to not approve it – I think that we’re fine with two year terms I think we should stay with two year terms."
(HOST) Backers of the constitutional proposal urged the committee to pass it out and allow voters to consider it in a statewide referendum. But a majority of the panel’s members disagreed with this approach.