How does state government work?

#Three branches in every state

Like the federal government, each state splits power among three branches. A governor leads the executive branch, and a legislature passes state laws and the state budget. State courts decide cases and have the final word on what state laws and the state constitution mean. In 49 states, the legislature has two chambers. Nebraska has just one, with 49 members, and it is officially nonpartisan.

#What states decide

State law covers much of daily life. State courts hear most criminal cases, family matters such as divorce and adoption, wills and estates, and most contract and injury disputes. States also run elections and set the times, places and manner of congressional elections, although Congress can change those rules by law. Counties, cities, towns and school districts are all set up under state law.

#Which state offices are elected

Every state elects its governor and legislators, and many states also elect other statewide officials. Here is how three common offices were filled as of 2026:

• Attorney general: elected in 43 states. In 5 states the governor appoints one, Maine’s legislature chooses one, and Tennessee’s supreme court chooses one.
• Secretary of state: elected in 35 of the 47 states that have the office.
• Lieutenant governor: elected in 44 states, including Arizona, which held its first election for the office on November 3, 2026.

#How long state officials serve

Governors serve 4-year terms in 48 states, while New Hampshire and Vermont elect their governors every 2 years. As of 2024, lower-chamber members serve 2-year terms in 44 states and 4-year terms in Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi and North Dakota. State senators serve 4-year terms in 38 states, counting Nebraska, and 2-year terms in 12. Many states also limit how many terms an official can serve, and those limits differ.