Free
Much of the time, the United States government runs smoothly.
This is due mostly to the genius of our Constitution. The Constitution sets up three branches of government. They are the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. The Constitution also establishes the separation of powers. That means the government has a system of checks and balances. This makes sure no single branch of government has too much power.
To find out more about our national government, go here: How America Works.
To dive into Virginia’s government, scroll down!
▲ The United States Congress has two parts. These are the Senate and the House of Representatives. The people who make up the Senate and the House come from every state, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Territories. Every state has two senators, no matter how many people live there. Every state has representatives according to its population. States where many people live, like New York or California, have more representatives. States where few people live, like Alaska, have fewer representatives. Virginia has 2 senators and 11 representatives.
◀ Virginia is one of four states that use the term “commonwealth” in their official name. There is no difference between a commonwealth and a state. The term shows our historical beginnings. It emphasizes that our government is based on the common good of our residents. And the will of our people. It is not like that of a monarchy. Virginia’s government has three branches, just like the national government. It has the same checks and balances. The governor is the head of the executive branch. The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative branch. It makes laws that apply only to people in Virginia. The judicial branch makes sure that laws are carried out correctly.
Virginia’s Governor
Virginia’s executive branch includes the governor and the lieutenant governor. It also includes the attorney general. The attorney general is head of the justice department. The executive branch also contains the governor’s cabinet. This includes the secretary of the commonwealth and the secretary of finance. Members of the executive branch serve four-year terms. The election is held the year after a presidential election. The governor cannot serve two terms in a row. But he or she can run for re-election after skipping a term. ▶
Governor Abigail Spanberger
Loading the player...
Virginia State Capitol
▲ Virginia’s legislative branch has two parts. One part is the Senate. The Senate has 40 members. The other part is the House of Delegates, with 100 members. Senators serve four-year terms. They have no term limits. Members of the House of Delegates serve two-year terms. They too have no term limits. The members of the Virginia General Assembly pass laws. They approve the budget – how the state will spend its money. And they elect judges.
▲ Many people complain about taxes. Taxes are the money people pay to city, state, or federal government. Some taxes are based on a person’s income. Some taxes are added to the price of goods and services. Where does all that tax money go, you might ask. It depends. State taxes mostly pay for education and health insurance for people who cannot afford it. They also pay for building and repairing state roads and rails. Local taxes pay for teachers’ salaries and schools. They pay for police, firefighters, and libraries. They also pay for parks, local roads, and lots more. People may think their taxes are too high. But without them, our state and our country would look quite different.
▲ Virginia has 95 counties. It also has 38 independent cities. The independent cities are not under the control of counties. But they function as if they were counties. County government may be organized in different ways. Even so, all counties are involved in some of the same basic services. These include police and fire departments, maintaining roads, providing community medical services, and maintaining courthouses. This is where you can really see your tax dollars at work.
