A little musical chairs, a little chess

In the 1990s, term limits were meant to snap California’s political rigor mortis. But critics say they sparked a cynical shuffle of civil servants. Now there’s a move to reconsider the laws that mowed down career city council members and kneecapped long-running state officials. Here are the Democratic candidates in three 2006 races in which term limits seem to play a major role. (The incumbents’ names are in bold and appear with the year they must leave office. The arrows point to the office they are seeking.) -- Swati Pandey and Michael Soller