Virginia State GovernmentWho is in charge of running Virginia?

Virginia's capitol is located in Richmond. Richmond is the location for Virginia's state government.

What is a state government?Just like the United States has a government in charge of running the country, Virginia has a government in charge of running the state.

There are three main parts to state government. These parts are called branches.

The three branches of government are:

the executive

the legislative

the judicial.

Government

The Governor's Mansion

The Executive BranchThe executive branch is in charge of making sure that the state's laws are enforced and carried out.

The executive Branch is ran by the governor.

The governor is like the captain of a ship. He

sets the course for Virginia. For example, the

governor and his staff create and recommend

a state budget. A budget is a plan for spending

the state's money.

Virginia's current governor,Bob McDonnell

About the GovernorVirginia's governors are elected by the people of Virginia every four years.

A governor's term is four years. This means that when he is elected, he gets to be governor for four years before there is another election to pick a new governor.

In Virginia, a governor is allowed only a single term at a time. Unlike the President of the United States, who can serve two terms back to back, the Governor of Virginia has to take a break between his terms.

This means that if a person is governor for one term and wants to be governor again, they must wait at least four years before running for governor again.

What is participatory democracy?

Participatory democracy is a form of government in which citizens have a right to be involved in important decisions. It means ordinary citizens have a right to participate in the decisions of elected representatives that impact the lives of all citizens.

The governor of Virginia is elected through citizen involvement in participatory democracy.

Virginia's Supreme Court

The Judicial BranchThe Judicial Branch is Virginia's court system. The Judicial Branch is in charge of deciding whether or not people have broken laws, and also makes sure that laws agree with Virginia's constitution.

The state court system is composed of many different courts. The court system is set up a little like a ladder. At the bottom are the lowest courts, the courts the average person would start in. As you go up the ladder, the courts have greater and greater say. The ruling of a lower court can be appealed to a higher court, and the decision overruled. The very highest court in Virginia is called the Virginia Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is made up of several justices, who work together to decide cases.

Virginia's current Chief Justice,Cynthia D. Kinser, the first woman to hold the position in Virginia's history

The Courts in the Judicial Branch

The Supreme Court hears appeals from lower courts.•Seven judges elected by the General Assembly to twelve year terms.Courts of Appeals hear appeals from lower courts.•Ten judges elected by General Assembly to eight-year terms.Judicial Circuit Courts•Judges elected by the General Assembly to eight-year terms.

Citizens in Virginia do not pick their judges directly. Instead, the General Assembly picks Virginia's judges. Citizens of Virginia do elect members of the General Assembly.

The Virginia State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson to look like a Roman temple.

The Legislative BranchVirginia's legislative branch is responsible for creating state laws, raising money from taxes, and controlling how tax dollars are spent.

The Legislative Branch is made up of the Virginia General Assembly. The GeneralAssembly has two parts: the Senate (40 members with four-year terms, and the House of Delegates (100 members with two-year terms)

The person in charge of the House of Delegates is called the Speaker of the House. The person in charge of the Senate is called the Lieutenant Governorof Virginia.

William J. Howell, Virginia'sSpeaker of the House

About the General AssemblyVirginia's House of Representatives is the oldest legislative body in the western hemisphere.

In 1619, the Virginia Company created the House of Burgesses, the first legislative body in the new colonies. The House of Burgesses met in Jamestown until 1699, when it moved to the capitol building in Williamsburg.

In 1776, the House of Burgesses became known as the General Assembly after Virginia's state constitution was ratified. Today, the General Assembly meets in the state capitol building in Richmond.

Which branch is really in charge?No one branch of government holds all the power. A system of checks and balances is built into the government to stop any one branch from becoming too powerful.

For example, the governor (executive branch) can propose a state budget, but the General Assembly (legislative branch) must vote on it and pass it. The General Assembly (legislative) may create laws, but the Virginia Supreme Court (judicial) can find those laws unconstitutional and declare they do not have to be followed.

These checks and balances make sure that the government branches must work together in cooperation, and that no one branch grows too big and abuses its power.