Dual mandate
Encyclopedia
A dual mandate is the practice in which elected officials served in more than one elected or other public position simultaneously. This practice is known as double jobbing in Britain and distinguished from double dipping in the United States (which refers to being employed and collecting retirement from the same public authority at the same time.)
For example, suppose a candidate wins a seat on a local authority at an election. If the same person then wins a seat in the national legislature in a separate general election, this is a dual mandate.
Dual mandates are sometimes prohibited by law. For example, in federal states, federal office holders are often not permitted to hold state office. In states with separation of powers
, members, whether elected or not, of the executive
, legislature
, and judiciary
are separate. In states with bicameral
legislatures, one cannot simultaneously be a member of both houses. The holder of one office who wins election to another where a dual mandate is prohibited must either resign the former office or refuse the new one.
(MEP) may not be a member of the legislature of a member state
. This dates from a 2002 European Union decision
, which came into effect at the 2004 European elections
in most member states, at the 2007 national election in the Republic of Ireland
, and at the 2009 European elections
in the United Kingdom
.
Originally, MEPs were nominated by national parliamentarians from among their own membership. Prior to the first direct elections in 1979
, the dual mandate was discussed. Some advocated banning it, arguing that MEPs who were national MPs were often absent from one assembly due to being at the other. The early death of Peter Kirk
was blamed by his election agent
on overwork resulting from his dual mandate. Others countered that dual mandate members enhanced communication between national and European assemblies. The Eurosceptic
Danish Social Democrats
supported compulsory dual mandate, to ensure the state's MEPs expressed the same views as the national legislature. The government of Denmark supported compulsory dual mandate, while the other eight members supported optional dual mandate. The 1976 law preparing for the 1979 elections expressly allowed the dual mandate. In 1978, Willy Brandt
suggested that one third of MEPs should be national MPs.
(1958–present) and holding up to five offices at once is at least theoretically possible in the French system. Known as cumul des mandats
, an individual French politician may simultaneously hold offices at any combination of the communal
, departmental, regional
, national, and European
levels.
, who serve concurrently as members of one of the territory's eighteen district councils. Before the abolition of the two municipal councils in the territory in 1999, it was not uncommon for politicians to serve concurrently at all three levels.
, the dual mandate of local councillors
having Oireachtas
seats was abolished by the Local Government (No. 2) Act 2003, an amendment to the Local Government Act 2001
. Attempts to include it in the 2001 Act failed after a rebellion by Fianna Fáil
backbencher
s; the 2003 Act passed after a compensation package was agreed for those losing out. The 2001 Act prohibited being a member of multiple county/city councils, or multiple town councils, or both a town and city council. Brian O'Shea was a member of both Waterford City Council
and Waterford County Council
until 1993. County councillors are allowed to sit on a town council, and many do so. The 2003 Act provides that a candidate elected simultaneously to a forbidden combination of local councils has three days to choose which seat to take up, with the others being considered vacant.
, prior to the 2009 European Parliament elections
, there were a small number of members of the European Parliament
who were also members of the House of Lords
As it is impossible to disclaim a life peerage, it has been ruled that peers must take a "leave of absence" from the Lords in order to be an MEP.
There have also been members of the House of Commons also holding seats in the devolved bodies in Scotland
, Wales and Northern Ireland
. The November 2009 report by the Committee on Standards in Public Life
into the controversy surrounding MPs' expenses
noted that "double jobbing" was "unusually ingrained in the political culture" of Northern Ireland, where 16 of 18 MPs were MLAs, compared to one Scottish MP being an MSP (First Minister
Alex Salmond
), and no Welsh MPs being AMs. The Committee recommended that Westminster ban multiple mandates from the 2011 assembly elections. Parties in Northern Ireland agreed to a ban from the 2015 elections.
At a lower level, it isn't uncommon for people hold seats on both a District Council and a County Council. Several MPs have also retained their council seats until the expiration of their term.
s, but as of 1992 it was still legal in Connecticut
, Illinois
, New Jersey
and New York
.
received legislation that passed unanimously in both houses of the Florida Legislature
that would forbid public officials from receiving retirement pay and regular pay simultaneously for the same position.
Rod Blagojevich
proposed legislation that would prohibit dual-office holding as part of changes to the state's ethics bill, stating that "dual government employment creates the potential for a conflict of interest because a legislator's duties to his or her constituents and his or her public employer are not always consistent." Critics, such as Representative Susana Mendoza
, called the actions "spite" on the part of the governor.
, Jack Sinagra
sponsored a bill passed by the New Jersey Senate
in 1992 that would ban the practice. At the time that the legislation first passed, there were some twenty elected officials who served in the New Jersey Legislature and another elected office, including Assemblyman Bill Pascrell, who was also mayor of Paterson, New Jersey
; State Senator Ronald Rice
, who also served on the Newark
City Council; and Assemblyman John E. Rooney
, who was also mayor of Northvale
. These officials protested the proposed ban as interfering with the will of voters to elect officials as they see fit. A newspaper called former State senator Wayne R. Bryant
the "king of double dipping" because he was collecting salaries from as many as four public jobs he held simultaneously.
Governor of New Jersey
Jon Corzine
signed legislation in September 2007 that banned the practice statewide, but the 19 legislators holding multiple offices as of February 1, 2008, were grandfathered into the system and allowed to retain their positions. As of the effective date of the prohibition, the grandfathered politicians were:
Senators:
Assembly members:
introduced legislation in the Ohio House of Representatives
that would forbid public officials from receiving a government pension while still serving in office.
are barred from being elected to a seat in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Cortes Generales
. More precisely, regional legislators can run for the seat, but if elected they must choose between the regional and national parliaments. Nevertheless, members of lower tiers of the Spanish decentralized structure, such as provincial councillors or members of local councils, including mayors, can and have held seats in the Congress of Deputies. The rule barring regional legislators does not apply to the upper house of the Cortes, the Senate
: in fact, regional legislatures are entitled to appoint a varying number of members from their ranks to the Senate, according to the population of the region. Currently, the Autonomous Communities appoint 56 Senators, the other 208 being directly elected in general elections
.
. It is illegal to be a member of any state parliament
and the Australian parliament simultaneously. A member of a state parliament seeking federal office must resign before seeking election to the Federal
Parliament
. It is possible, but unusual, to be a member of a local government
and another parliament
. Since 2004 Clover Moore
has been both the independent
member for Sydney in the NSW Parliament and the Lord Mayor of Sydney.
prevents a Senator from being elected as a Member of Parliament; similarly, s. 65(c) of the Canada Elections Act
makes members of provincial or territorial legislatures ineligible to be candidates to the House of Commons.
In other circumstances, an elected official almost always resigns their first post when elected to another. They have occurred occasionally when the member was elected to a second office shortly before their other term of office was due to expire anyway and whereby the short time frame would not merit the cost of a special by-election
. For example, Jenny Kwan
, a Vancouver
city councillor was elected to the provincial legislature
in May 1996, six months before the expiry of her term on City Council. She held both offices simultaneously for that period of time. A year earlier, in 1995, the British Columbia legislature had debated a "Dual Office Prohibition Act" which failed to pass second reading.
For example, suppose a candidate wins a seat on a local authority at an election. If the same person then wins a seat in the national legislature in a separate general election, this is a dual mandate.
Dual mandates are sometimes prohibited by law. For example, in federal states, federal office holders are often not permitted to hold state office. In states with separation of powers
Separation of powers
The separation of powers, often imprecisely used interchangeably with the trias politica principle, is a model for the governance of a state. The model was first developed in ancient Greece and came into widespread use by the Roman Republic as part of the unmodified Constitution of the Roman Republic...
, members, whether elected or not, of the executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, and judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
are separate. In states with bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
legislatures, one cannot simultaneously be a member of both houses. The holder of one office who wins election to another where a dual mandate is prohibited must either resign the former office or refuse the new one.
European Parliament
A member of the European ParliamentEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
(MEP) may not be a member of the legislature of a member state
Member State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
. This dates from a 2002 European Union decision
European Union decision
In European Union law, a decision is a legal instrument which is binding upon those individuals to which it is addressed. They are one of three kinds of legal instruments which may be effected under EU law which can have legally binding effects on individuals. Decisions may be addressed to member...
, which came into effect at the 2004 European elections
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
in most member states, at the 2007 national election in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, and at the 2009 European elections
European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom)
The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Originally, MEPs were nominated by national parliamentarians from among their own membership. Prior to the first direct elections in 1979
European Parliament election, 1979
The 1979 European elections were parliamentary elections held across all 9 European Community member states. They were the first European elections to be held, allowing citizens to elect 410 MEPs to the European Parliament, and also the first international election in history.Seats in the...
, the dual mandate was discussed. Some advocated banning it, arguing that MEPs who were national MPs were often absent from one assembly due to being at the other. The early death of Peter Kirk
Peter Michael Kirk
Sir Peter Michael Kirk, was a British Conservative politician and a junior minister in the governments of Alec Douglas-Home and Edward Heath....
was blamed by his election agent
Election agent
In elections in the United Kingdom, as well as in certain other similar political systems such as India's, an election agent is the person legally responsible for the conduct of a candidate's political campaign and to whom election material is sent to by those running the election. In elections in...
on overwork resulting from his dual mandate. Others countered that dual mandate members enhanced communication between national and European assemblies. The Eurosceptic
EuroSceptic
EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...
Danish Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
supported compulsory dual mandate, to ensure the state's MEPs expressed the same views as the national legislature. The government of Denmark supported compulsory dual mandate, while the other eight members supported optional dual mandate. The 1976 law preparing for the 1979 elections expressly allowed the dual mandate. In 1978, Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
suggested that one third of MEPs should be national MPs.
France
The dual mandate is a common practice in the French Fifth RepublicFrench Fifth Republic
The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, introduced on 4 October 1958. The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the French Fourth Republic, replacing the prior parliamentary government with a semi-presidential system...
(1958–present) and holding up to five offices at once is at least theoretically possible in the French system. Known as cumul des mandats
Cumul des mandats
The cumul des mandats , is a political practice that has evidenced itself in modern French politics. It consists of holding several political offices at multiple levels of government...
, an individual French politician may simultaneously hold offices at any combination of the communal
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
, departmental, regional
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
, national, and European
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
levels.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, dual mandate is common for members of the territory's Legislative CouncilLegislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
, who serve concurrently as members of one of the territory's eighteen district councils. Before the abolition of the two municipal councils in the territory in 1999, it was not uncommon for politicians to serve concurrently at all three levels.
Ireland
In the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, the dual mandate of local councillors
Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Local government functions in the Republic of Ireland are mostly exercised by thirty-four local authorities, termed county or city councils, which cover the entire territory of the state. The area under the jurisdiction of each of these authorities corresponds to the area of each of the 34 LAU I...
having Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
seats was abolished by the Local Government (No. 2) Act 2003, an amendment to the Local Government Act 2001
Local Government Act 2001
The Local Government Act, 2001 was enacted by the Oireachtas of the Republic of Ireland on 21 July 2001. Most of the provisions of the Act came into operation on 1 January 2002....
. Attempts to include it in the 2001 Act failed after a rebellion by Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
s; the 2003 Act passed after a compensation package was agreed for those losing out. The 2001 Act prohibited being a member of multiple county/city councils, or multiple town councils, or both a town and city council. Brian O'Shea was a member of both Waterford City Council
Waterford City Council
Waterford City Council is the local authority which is responsible for the city of Waterford and its immediate hinterland in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment.The Chairman ...
and Waterford County Council
Waterford County Council
Waterford County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Waterford in Ireland. The remit of Waterford County Council includes some suburbs of the Waterford city not within the remit of Waterford City Council. The Council is responsible for housing and community, roads and...
until 1993. County councillors are allowed to sit on a town council, and many do so. The 2003 Act provides that a candidate elected simultaneously to a forbidden combination of local councils has three days to choose which seat to take up, with the others being considered vacant.
UK
In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, prior to the 2009 European Parliament elections
European Parliament election, 2009
Elections to the European Parliament were held in the 27 member states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Members of the European Parliament were elected to represent some 500 million Europeans, making these the biggest trans-national elections in history...
, there were a small number of members of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
who were also members of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
As it is impossible to disclaim a life peerage, it has been ruled that peers must take a "leave of absence" from the Lords in order to be an MEP.
There have also been members of the House of Commons also holding seats in the devolved bodies in Scotland
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, Wales and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
. The November 2009 report by the Committee on Standards in Public Life
Committee on Standards in Public Life
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an advisory non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom Government.The Committee on Standards in Public Life is constituted as a standing body with its members appointed for up to three years.-History:...
into the controversy surrounding MPs' expenses
United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
The United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal was a major political scandal triggered by the leak and subsequent publication by the Telegraph Group in 2009 of expense claims made by members of the United Kingdom Parliament over several years...
noted that "double jobbing" was "unusually ingrained in the political culture" of Northern Ireland, where 16 of 18 MPs were MLAs, compared to one Scottish MP being an MSP (First Minister
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
), and no Welsh MPs being AMs. The Committee recommended that Westminster ban multiple mandates from the 2011 assembly elections. Parties in Northern Ireland agreed to a ban from the 2015 elections.
At a lower level, it isn't uncommon for people hold seats on both a District Council and a County Council. Several MPs have also retained their council seats until the expiration of their term.
United States
The practice is banned by the constitutions of many U.S. stateU.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s, but as of 1992 it was still legal in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Florida
In April 1984, Governor of Florida Bob GrahamBob Graham
Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham is an American politician. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005...
received legislation that passed unanimously in both houses of the Florida Legislature
Florida Legislature
The Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...
that would forbid public officials from receiving retirement pay and regular pay simultaneously for the same position.
Illinois
In August 2008, Governor of IllinoisGovernor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
proposed legislation that would prohibit dual-office holding as part of changes to the state's ethics bill, stating that "dual government employment creates the potential for a conflict of interest because a legislator's duties to his or her constituents and his or her public employer are not always consistent." Critics, such as Representative Susana Mendoza
Susana Mendoza
Susana Mendoza is the City Clerk of Chicago. She is also a former member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 2001, representing the 1st District of Illinois - which includes the Chicago communities of Brighton Park, Little Village, Gage Park, and Back of the Yards...
, called the actions "spite" on the part of the governor.
New Jersey
Fulfilling a campaign pledge that he had made when first running for the New Jersey LegislatureNew Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
, Jack Sinagra
Jack Sinagra
Jack G. Sinagra is an American Republican Party politician who was the Mayor of East Brunswick, New Jersey and served in the New Jersey Senate from 1992 to 2002, where he represented the 18th Legislative District.-Biography:...
sponsored a bill passed by the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
in 1992 that would ban the practice. At the time that the legislation first passed, there were some twenty elected officials who served in the New Jersey Legislature and another elected office, including Assemblyman Bill Pascrell, who was also mayor of Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
; State Senator Ronald Rice
Ronald Rice
Ronald L. Rice is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 1986, where he represents the 28th Legislative District...
, who also served on the Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
City Council; and Assemblyman John E. Rooney
John E. Rooney
John E. Rooney is an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 39th Legislative District. He served in the Assembly from 1983 to 2010, which made him the longest-serving representative in the General Assembly...
, who was also mayor of Northvale
Northvale, New Jersey
Northvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,640.Northvale was formed on March 15, 1916, from the remaining portions of Harrington Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1916. With the...
. These officials protested the proposed ban as interfering with the will of voters to elect officials as they see fit. A newspaper called former State senator Wayne R. Bryant
Wayne R. Bryant
Wayne R. Bryant is a convicted felon, an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1995 to 2008, where he represented the 5th Legislative District...
the "king of double dipping" because he was collecting salaries from as many as four public jobs he held simultaneously.
Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
signed legislation in September 2007 that banned the practice statewide, but the 19 legislators holding multiple offices as of February 1, 2008, were grandfathered into the system and allowed to retain their positions. As of the effective date of the prohibition, the grandfathered politicians were:
- Name, Party-County – Second Public Office:
Senators:
- Dana ReddDana ReddDana Redd is an American Democratic politician and is the current Mayor of Camden, New Jersey. Redd served in the New Jersey Senate from January 8, 2008 to January 5, 2010, representing the 5th legislative district.-Biography:...
, D-Camden – Councilwoman, CamdenCamden, New JerseyThe city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344... - Nicholas SaccoNicholas SaccoNicholas J. Sacco is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1994, where he represents the 32nd Legislative District...
, D-Hudson – Mayor, North BergenNorth Bergen, New JerseyNorth Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one... - Paul SarloPaul SarloPaul A. Sarlo is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 2003, where he represents the 36th Legislative District...
, D-Bergen – Mayor, Wood-RidgeWood-Ridge, New JerseyWood-Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,626.Wood-Ridge was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 6, 1894, from portions of Bergen Township, based on the results of... - Robert SingerRobert SingerRobert W. Singer is an American Republican Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1993, where he represents the 30th Legislative District. He was the Mayor of Lakewood Township, New Jersey in 2009...
, R-Ocean – Committeeman, LakewoodLakewood Township, New Jersey-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 60,352 people, 19,876 households, and 13,356 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,431.8 people per square mile . There were 21,214 housing units at an average density of 854.8 per square mile... - Brian Stack, D-Hudson – Mayor, Union CityUnion City, New JerseyUnion City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
- Stephen SweeneyStephen M. SweeneyStephen M. Sweeney is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 3rd Legislative District. Sweeney also serves on the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders, a post he has held since 1997, and has been the...
, D-Gloucester – Freeholder, Gloucester CountyGloucester County, New JerseyGloucester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 288,288. Its county seat is Woodbury....
Assembly members:
- John BurzichelliJohn J. BurzichelliJohn J. Burzichelli is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2003, where he represents the 3rd legislative district...
, D-Gloucester – Mayor, PaulsboroPaulsboro, New JerseyPaulsboro is a Borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,097.... - Ralph CaputoRalph R. CaputoRalph R. Caputo is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 28th legislative district...
, D-Essex – Freeholder, Essex CountyEssex County, New JerseyEssex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's... - Anthony ChiapponeAnthony ChiapponeAnthony Chiappone is an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 31st legislative district...
, D-Hudson – Councilman, BayonneBayonne, New JerseyBayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east... - Ronald DancerRonald S. DancerRonald Stanley Dancer is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 30th legislative district.-Biography:...
, R-Ocean – Mayor, Plumsted TownshipPlumsted Township, New Jersey-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,275 people, 2,510 households, and 2,002 families residing in the township. The population density was 181.8 people per square mile . There were 2,628 housing units at an average density of 65.7 per square mile... - Joseph EganJoseph V. EganJoseph V. Egan is an American Democratic Party politician, who represents the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served since 2002....
, D-Middlesex – Councilman, New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New JerseyNew Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of... - Elease EvansElease EvansElease Evans is an American Democratic Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly, where she represents the 35th legislative district seat vacated by Alfred E. Steele on September 10, 2007. Evans was sworn into the Assembly on November 9, 2007...
, D-Passaic – Freeholder, Passaic CountyPassaic County, New JerseyPassaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson... - John McKeonJohn F. McKeonJohn F. McKeon, Jr. is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 27th legislative district, which covers the western portion of Essex County...
, D-Essex – Mayor, West OrangeWest Orange, New JerseyWest Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207... - Paul MoriartyPaul MoriartyPaul Moriarty is an American Democratic Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where he represents the 4th Legislative District, having taken office on January 10, 2006....
, D-Gloucester – Mayor, Washington TownshipWashington Township, Gloucester County, New JerseyWashington Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. In the 2010 United States Census, Washington Township's population was 48,559, having grown from 47,114 in the 2000 Census.... - Ruben RamosRuben J. RamosRuben J. Ramos, Jr. is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2008, where he represents the 33rd legislative district...
, D-Hudson – Councilman, HobokenHoboken, New JerseyHoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region... - Scott RumanaScott RumanaScott Rumana is an Assyrian-American Republican Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has represented the 40th legislative district since January 8, 2008....
, R-Bergen – Mayor, WayneWayne, New JerseyWayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069.... - Gary SchaerGary SchaerGary Schaer is an American Democratic Party politician who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where he represents the 36th legislative district, having taken office on January 10, 2006, and on the Passaic, New Jersey City Council where he is the council president...
, D-Passaic – Councilman, PassaicPassaic, New JerseyPassaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861... - Daniel Van PeltDaniel Van PeltDaniel Van Pelt is an American Republican politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from January 8, 2008, until July 31, 2009, when he resigned after being arrested in connection with Operation Bid Rig on federal corruption charges for allegedly accepting a $10,000 bribe. He was...
, R-Ocean – Mayor, Ocean TownshipOcean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,450 people, 2,446 households, and 1,743 families residing in the township. The population density was 310.1 people per square mile . There were 2,981 housing units at an average density of 143.3 per square mile... - Joseph VasJoseph VasJoseph Vas is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2004–2010, where he represented the 19th Legislative District. He did not seek re-election to the assembly in 2009. He also served as Mayor of Perth Amboy, New Jersey from 1990 to 2008...
, D-Middlesex – Mayor, Perth AmboyPerth Amboy, New JerseyPerth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
Ohio
In February 2001, Jean SchmidtJean Schmidt
Jeannette Marie Hoffman Schmidt, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from eastern Cincinnati to Portsmouth....
introduced legislation in the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
that would forbid public officials from receiving a government pension while still serving in office.
Spain
Per the Spanish Constitution, legislators in the regional assemblies of the Autonomous CommunitiesAutonomous communities of Spain
An autonomous community In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . The second article of the constitution recognizes the rights of "nationalities and regions" to self-government and declares the "indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation".Political power in Spain is...
are barred from being elected to a seat in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Cortes Generales
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
. More precisely, regional legislators can run for the seat, but if elected they must choose between the regional and national parliaments. Nevertheless, members of lower tiers of the Spanish decentralized structure, such as provincial councillors or members of local councils, including mayors, can and have held seats in the Congress of Deputies. The rule barring regional legislators does not apply to the upper house of the Cortes, the Senate
Spanish Senate
The Senate of Spain is the upper house of Spain's parliament, the . It is made up of 264 members: 208 elected by popular vote, and 56 appointed by the regional legislatures. All senators serve four-year terms, though regional legislatures may recall their appointees at any time.The last election...
: in fact, regional legislatures are entitled to appoint a varying number of members from their ranks to the Senate, according to the population of the region. Currently, the Autonomous Communities appoint 56 Senators, the other 208 being directly elected in general elections
Elections in Spain
There are four types of elections in Spain: general elections, elections to the legislatures of the autonomous communities, local elections and elections to the European Parliament...
.
Australia
Dual mandates are rare in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is illegal to be a member of any state parliament
State parliament
State parliaments are legislative bodies of subnational bodies usually referred to in English as "states". It may refer to:* Landtags in German-speaking countries* Parliaments of the Australian states and territories...
and the Australian parliament simultaneously. A member of a state parliament seeking federal office must resign before seeking election to the Federal
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
. It is possible, but unusual, to be a member of a local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
and another parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
. Since 2004 Clover Moore
Clover Moore
Clover Moore , is an Australian politician, the Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney and an independent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the electorate of Sydney. Moore is the first publicly elected female Lord Mayor of Sydney. Prior to the 2007 NSW state election, she...
has been both the independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
member for Sydney in the NSW Parliament and the Lord Mayor of Sydney.
Canada
In Canada, dual mandates are rare and frequently barred by legislation; section 39 of the Constitution Act, 1867Constitution Act, 1867
The Constitution Act, 1867 , is a major part of Canada's Constitution. The Act created a federal dominion and defines much of the operation of the Government of Canada, including its federal structure, the House of Commons, the Senate, the justice system, and the taxation system...
prevents a Senator from being elected as a Member of Parliament; similarly, s. 65(c) of the Canada Elections Act
Canada Elections Act
Canada Elections Act is an Act of the Parliament of Canada respecting the election of members of parliament to the Canadian House of Commons, repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential amendments to other Acts....
makes members of provincial or territorial legislatures ineligible to be candidates to the House of Commons.
In other circumstances, an elected official almost always resigns their first post when elected to another. They have occurred occasionally when the member was elected to a second office shortly before their other term of office was due to expire anyway and whereby the short time frame would not merit the cost of a special by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. For example, Jenny Kwan
Jenny Kwan
Jenny Wai Ching Kwan is a Hong Kong-born Canadian politician. She is currently a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, and a senior member of the provincial caucus of the New Democratic Party.-Personal life:...
, a Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
city councillor was elected to the provincial legislature
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
in May 1996, six months before the expiry of her term on City Council. She held both offices simultaneously for that period of time. A year earlier, in 1995, the British Columbia legislature had debated a "Dual Office Prohibition Act" which failed to pass second reading.