US Government

In countries with federal systems of government, and sub-national entities officially called (or widely-known as) states, a state government is the governing body of a state. State governments share power with a federal government or national government. Some state governments may be deemed to have limited sovereignty, whereas others are subject to the direct control of the central government.

Under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, all governmental powers not granted to the United States Federal Government by the Constitution are reserved for the states. The governments of the 13 colonies which formed the original union under the Constitution trace their history back to the royal charters which established them during the year of colonialism. Most other states were organized as federal territories before forming their own governments and requesting admittance into the union. Notable exceptions are Vermont, Texas and Hawaii, which were sovereign nations before joining the union.

All U.S. states have a written constitution and a three-branch government modeled on the U.S. federal government. While the US Constitution does mandate that each state shall have a "republican form" of government, this particular structure is not mandatory.

The executive branch of every state is headed by an elected governor, and many states have a position of lieutenant governor.

The legislative branch is typically a bicameral legislature. (Nebraska has a unicameral legislature.) The upper house of state legislatures is usually called the senate and the lower house is usually called the house of representatives. (The lower houses of New York and California are called the Assembly. Connecticut's house and senate together are called the General Assembly, and the bicameral legislature of Massachusetts is called the General Court.)

The judicial branch is typically headed by a supreme court which hears appeals from lower state courts. The structure of courts and the methods by which judges are elected or appointed is a determined by legislation or the state constitution. (New York's highest court is called the Court of Appeals.)

Oregon

The original constitution of Oregon has been in effect since 1857, two years before statehood. It was not amended until 1902. Amendments may be proposed by initiative or by a majority of both houses of the legislature. Amendments must be approved by a majority of the voters. The constitution may also be amended by a constitutional convention, which can only be called if both the legislature and voters give approval.

The governor is elected for a term of four years and is limited to a maximum of two terms in any 12-year period. The governor serves on several state boards and commissions and, as chairman of the land board, shares with the secretary of state and the treasurer the responsibility of supervising the administration of state-owned lands. Other elected officials are the state attorney general, state labor commissioner, and a superintendent of public instruction. There is no lieutenant governor. When the governorship falls vacant, the unfinished term of the governor is served by the secretary of state, succeeded in turn by the state treasurer, president of the Senate, and Speaker of the House.

The legislative assembly consists of a Senate of 30 members, who are elected for four years, and a House of Representatives of 60 members, who are elected for two years. The legislature convenes in January of odd-numbered years. A two-thirds vote is necessary to override the governor’s veto.

Oregon’s court system is headed by a supreme court of seven justices elected on a nonpartisan ballot for six-year terms. It also includes an appeals court and circuit, district, county, and municipal courts.

Oregon elects two senators and five representatives to the Congress of the United States. The state has seven electoral votes in presidential elections.