Staggered Terms in Majoritarian and Nonmajoritarian Institutions

Staggered terms, that is, the partial renewal of terms of office, are widespread in both majoritarian and nonmajoritarian institutions, but they are little studied or understood. While the goals of staggered terms are to lengthen the time horizons of individual and institutions and to lead to more stable policy outcomes, this may not occur, as members often have the ability to influence their chances of obtaining additional terms of office and may alter their behavior in the pursuit of this. This chapter discusses the different forms staggered terms can take and the wide range of institutions where staggered terms are found. It then discusses the literature on the effects of staggered terms on behavior and outcomes, as well as how staggered terms have been used as a research design. Finally, the chapter sets out potential future research avenues.