State Government

Forms of direct democracy that let voters propose and approve state laws and constitutional amendments, available in about half the states

The elected chief executives of the fifty states, who propose budgets, sign or veto laws, command the National Guard, and lead in emergencies

How states fill the governor's office after a death, resignation, or removal, and who acts as governor when the governor is absent or disabled

The state officials first in line to succeed the governor in most states, whose duties range from presiding over the state senate to almost nothing

Elections that let voters remove state or local officials before their terms end, available for state officials in about 19 states

State officials who in most states run elections, register businesses, and keep official records, a role that drew national attention after 2020

The departments, boards, and commissions that carry out state law, from transportation and health to universities and utility regulators

The chief legal officers of the states, who defend state laws, protect consumers, and increasingly sue the federal government and major industries together

How states raise and spend money, from balanced budget rules and sales and income taxes to Medicaid and schools, the largest items in state spending

The fundamental laws of the fifty states, generally longer, more detailed, and far more often amended than the U.S. Constitution, and an independent source of rights

The fifty state judiciaries, which handle the vast majority of American court cases and choose judges by election, appointment, or merit selection

How the fifty state governments are organized, what they do, and how they relate to the federal government

The lawmaking bodies of the fifty states, with 99 chambers and more than 7,000 members, ranging from full-time professional bodies to citizen legislatures

The state-based reserve military forces that answer to governors in peacetime but can be called into federal service by the President