States are not administrative units of the federal government. The Constitution reserves to them all powers not delegated to the national government, and they make most of the laws that govern daily life, from driving and marriage to schools and contracts. State governments vary widely in structure, size, and politics, but they share a common design modeled loosely on the federal government.
This guide explains how state governments are organized and how they work.
States share power with the federal government under the 10th Amendment, run many federal programs, and often sue the federal government, with attorneys general of the party out of power leading challenges. They also cooperate through interstate compacts and influence one another as laboratories of democracy, a phrase from Justice Louis Brandeis. Most states now have single-party control of the governorship and both legislative chambers, producing sharply different policies across states on issues such as abortion, guns, taxes, and immigration enforcement.
Governors serve four-year terms in every state except New Hampshire and Vermont, which have two-year terms, and most face term limits. They propose budgets, sign or veto bills, command the National Guard in state status, and appoint agency heads. Most governors have a line-item veto over spending bills, a power the President lacks. Unlike the federal executive, most states elect other executives separately, including a lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, and sometimes an education superintendent, who may belong to a different party.
Nearly every state requires a balanced operating budget, unlike the federal government, and states maintain rainy day funds for downturns. Major spending goes to Medicaid, K-12 education, higher education, corrections, and transportation. Revenue comes from sales taxes, income taxes in most states, fees, and federal grants, which provide roughly a third of state spending. Nine states have no broad income tax on wages, and states compete over tax rates and business incentives.
State courts handle the vast majority of the country's legal cases, including most criminal prosecutions, family, contract, and personal injury cases. Most states have trial courts, intermediate appeals courts, and a supreme court. Judges are chosen in different ways: partisan or nonpartisan elections, appointment by the governor, or merit selection followed by retention elections. State supreme courts have the final word on state law, and the U.S. Supreme Court can review their decisions only on federal questions.
Every state has its own constitution, and most are far longer and more detailed than the U.S. Constitution, covering topics from education funding to bonds and highways. They are amended much more often, frequently by voters, and many states have replaced their constitutions several times. State constitutions often protect rights more broadly than the federal Constitution, such as explicit rights to education or privacy, and state courts interpret them independently.
Forty-nine states have a senate and a house, while Nebraska has a single chamber whose members are elected without party labels. Together, state legislatures have more than 7,000 members. A handful of large states have full-time, well-paid legislatures with large staffs, while many others meet for only part of the year and pay members modest salaries. Many states impose term limits, and legislatures draw congressional and legislative districts in most states.
See how powers are divided in states vs. federal: who does what, explore the next level down in how local government works, or learn about voters making laws directly in ballot initiatives, referendums, and recalls.