When Does Term Length Matter? Party Status, Polarization, and Legislative Productivity

Longer terms should increase legislative productivity by extending time horizons, yet the empirical evidence for this outcome is inconsistent. This manuscript argues that the effects of term length depend on both party status and polarization. Using data from across U.S. state legislatures, the results demonstrate that the productivity advantages of longer terms depend on the political context. As polarization increases within states over time, the relative benefit of longer terms shifts from minority to majority party members. At low polarization levels, minorities would benefit more from term extensions than majorities. At high polarization, this pattern reverses. These findings reconcile prior research and reveal how the political context can shape institutional effects.