In the United States, there are three distinct branches, or parts of government. They are called the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. All of them have different jobs to do, ensuring that no branch can do the work of other branches. This system is called “separation of powers”. The idea is that no one person or group can hold all of the power in the country. The power is divided
Executive Branch
The governor heads the executive branch of a state and is elected by direct vote, unlike the presidential election. There is no limit to the amount of times a governor can be elected, but the people must like them. Here are some jobs that the governor does:
- Suggests bills to the legislature
- Sees that the laws of the state are carried out
- Calls the legislature into special sessions
- Gives a state budget to the legislature
- Signs bills into law or rejects them
- Is the chief of the state militia
- Can grant a pardon to people who are found guilty of crime
Judicial Branch
The judicial branch is made up of several levels of court, where judges interpret, and explain the laws. It is the job of the judicial branch to say how laws fit each case that comes to court. They decide if laws follow the constitution. If not, the judges say the laws are unconstitutional, and they are erased from the law books.
Courts also judge whether or not people have broken laws. If the person is found guilty of a crime, courts decide how they should be punished, which is usually time in jail, but can also be, death sentences, and community service time.
Different types of crimes are tried in different courts. If people don’t like what happened in a lower court, they can appeal to the next highest. At the very top, is the supreme court. Few cases actually get there, because there aren’t many people who work there, like all of the other smaller courts.
Legislative Branch
The job of the legislative branch is to make laws. It is made up of two parts; the House of Representatives and the Senate. Representatives and Senators are voted into office by the people.
Legislators live in their hometowns, and go to wherever the legislature meets. All the states have specific meeting times. For example, Utah meets every year for forty-five days, beginning in January. The legislature can also be called back for special sessions later in the year, if the governor thinks that there is more work to do.
In conclusion, there are three branches of government.