2. Vocabulary Unicameral – one house – legislative branch
Bicameral – two houses – legislative branch
Segregation – separation of races. In NC, this deals mostly with blacks and whites after the Civil War to the 1960s.
Census – official population account to show population shifts
Commute – reduce a sentence. A power of the NC governor
Ordinances – local laws
Incorporate – to receive a state charter, officially recognizing the government of the locality.
Municipality – either a city, town, or village in NC
Charter – basic rules for a municipality
Annexation – process of bringing unincorporated land into a municipality.

3. North Carolina History
“First in Freedom”
First Provincial Congress (August 1774) – elected people to the Continental Congress
Mecklenburg Declaration (May 1775) – citizens of Mecklenburg County stated that the only lawful government was the provincial government, not the British.
Halifax Resolves (April 12, 1776) – NC was the first state to call for complete independence from Britain.
NC sent 3 delegates to the 2nd Continental Congress.
NC did not ratify the U.S. Constitution until 1789 when the Bill of Rights was added.

4. North Carolina History cont.
Three Constitutions in NC’s history
Very small number compared to other states
1st – Constitution of 1776
Very similar to the US Constitution
1835 Changes
Voters now allowed to elect governor, approve or reject constitutional amendments
Took away rights of free men of African and Indian decent
2nd – Constitution of 1868
All Confederate states had to create new Constitution after Civil War
Slavery abolished, all men over 21 could vote
3rd – Constitution of 1971
All elections free, freedom of speech, equal protection of laws

5. NC Legislative Branch
The Legislative Branch of North Carolina’s state government is called the General Assembly
Makes two types of laws:
Statutes – apply to everyone in the state
Local or Specific laws – just to certain areas in the state
Major power deals with finances. How much to spend and how much to tax?
Other powers: ex. Legislative Oversight – review of government operations

6. The NC General Assembly
SENATE
50 Members
Presiding Officer:
Lieutenant Governor
Elected Chamber Leader:
President Pro Tempore
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
120 Members
Presiding Officer:
Speaker of the House
Elected Chamber Leader:

7. Legislative Branch State is divided into districts.
Reynolds vs. Sims (1964): All election districts must be equal in population. “Each person one vote”.
Apportionment: Distribution of seats according to population.
Legislators must be US citizens, live in the district, and meet an age requirement. Fairly low pay.
Legislative process is the same as the national level.

8. Executive Branch of North Carolina State Government
4 year terms, but may only serve 2 consecutive
Must be 30 years old, US citizen for 5 years, lived in NC for 2 years
Lt. Governor elected also. Must meet governor qualifications. Head of the NC Senate.
Council of the State – 8 state agencies, people elected to these 4 year positions, unlimited
Cabinet – appointed by the Governor
Agencies – over 200 state agencies that carry out the work of the Executive Branch

9. Powers of the Governor
Chief Executive, Chief Legislator, Judicial Leader, Commander in Chief, Party leader, Ceremonial leader.

11. Judicial Branch of North Carolina State Government
NC Supreme Court – Highest court in the state, 7 justices, elected to eight-year terms
Hear oral arguments in cases appealed from lower courts.
Considers errors in legal procedures or in judicial interpretation of the law - primarily of cases involving questions of constitutional law, legal questions of major significance, and appeals from convictions imposing death sentences in first-degree murder cases.

12. Judicial Branch of North Carolina State Government
NC Appeals Courts – 15 judges, elected by voters for eight-year terms, cases heard by panels of 3 judges
Only decides questions of law.
Hears a majority of the appeals originating from the state's trial courts.

13. Judicial Branch of North Carolina State Government
NC Superior Courts – 8 divisions and 46 districts across the state, judges elected to 8-year terms and rotate every 6 months between districts in their division
General jurisdiction trial courts for the state.
Hears all felony criminal cases, civil cases involving more than $10,000 and misdemeanor, and infraction appeals from District Court
Jury of 12 hears the criminal cases. In the civil cases, juries are often waived.

14. Judicial Branch of North Carolina State Government
NC District Courts – Divided into 41 districts and 239 judges, elected to 4-year terms
Handle the vast majority of the trial level cases.
Have exclusive jurisdiction over civil cases involving less than $10,000, almost all misdemeanors, probable cause hearings in felony cases, juvenile proceedings, mental health hospital commitments, and domestic relations cases.

15. Judicial Branch cont.
Misdemeanors: Minor crimes handled by lower courts.
Felonies: Serious crimes handled by higher courts.
Trial courts: Use juries. Judge decides punishment.
Appellate courts: Panel of judges. Appellate jurisdiction.
Magistrates: a civil officer or lay judge who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offenses and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones.

16. County Government
Local governments are established by state governments.
Charter: Plan that explains the power of a local government.
All counties provide services for their citizens.
County board has legislative powers.
Ordinance: Law passed by a county board.
Provide law enforcement, set up hospitals, improve transportation, and set up public libraries.
Collect revenue through property tax and sales tax.
Have executive power to enforce laws (Inspectors).

18. County Officials
Sheriff: Law enforcement. Keeps peace and manages the jail.
District attorney: Investigates crime and prosecutes in court.
Coroner: Establishes the cause of death.
County clerk: Keeps official records.
Assessor: Determines the value of property for tax purposes.

19. Special Districts
Provides a solution for a single issue or provide a service.
An elected board runs the district.
User fees: Rates paid for services.

20. City Government Must get a charter from the state government.
NC does not have Home Rule - this would allow them to write their own charters.

21. Mayor-Council Government
Separate legislative (city council) and executive (mayor) branches.
There are strong and weak mayor plans.

22. City Council – City Manager
Voters elect a city council.
City manager runs the city. Appointed by the city council.

23. Commission Government
Separate departments led by a commissioner. The commission has executive and legislative powers.

24. Community Problems
Public Policy: Decision that effect people. They can come from lawmakers, citizens, interest groups, and the media.
Must plan for the future. Involves educated guessing.
Short term: Decisions effecting the next few years.
Long term: Decisions effecting the next fifty years.
Must have priorities and evaluate resources.
Communities develop a master plan of goals.

25. Zoning A zoning board decides what land will be used for.
Different zones for residential, business, and public land.
Provides a map for the community.

26. Annexation
State laws allow cities to annex property so they can provide essential services to urbanized areas in an orderly and efficient way.
Municipalities must provide annexed areas with services such as police and fire protection, water and sewer lines, recreation, solid waste collection and street maintenance.

27. Financing Taxes: Sales, property and income.
User fees: Fares paid for the use of services.
Bond: Borrow the money and pay it back later.

28. Education and Housing
Education is the most expensive service provided by state and local governments.
Magnet school: Students focus on a particular field of study.
Vouchers: Help parents send children to private schools.
Urban renewal: Re-building old neighborhoods.
The government provides low income housing.

29. Shortages and Pollution
Many places have shortages on power and water.
Conservation: Using less of our resources.
Disposing of garbage is a problem (landfills).
Recycling: Using old materials to produce new ones.

30. Federalism National government shares power with the states.
This gives Americans freedom to provide for their own needs.
The main reason is sectional differences.
Types of Power:
Enumerated: Powers given to the national government. Can be expressed or implied (Elastic clause).
Reserved: Powers given to the state governments.
Concurrent: Powers shared between national and state.

31. Federal Aid to the States
Spending is roughly related to population of the state (from census numbers)
Additional demographic questions to find out where children are located (education), minorities (grants for minorities), and population density (highways)

32. New Federalism
Recently shift of some programs/authority for decision- making on the implementation of the programs back to the state and local governments.
Started with President Nixon and continued with President Reagan

33. Types of Aid
Categorical Grants – funds for some specific closely defined purpose.
Like money for school lunches
Usually have strings attached
Block Grants – funds for much more broadly defined purposes
Fewer strings attached, more freedom for state/local to decide how to spend money
Project Grants – funds for specific organizations or governmental bodies
For research, job training programs, etc.

34. Understanding Federalism
Disadvantages for Democracy
States have different levels of service
Local interest can counteract national interests
Too many levels of government and too much money
Advantages for Democracy
Increases access
to government
Local problems can
be solved locally
Hard for political
parties or interest groups
to dominate all politics

35. State and Local Voting Procedures
Initiative – A means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote.
Referendum - A direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to vote on a particular proposal.
Proposition - A ballot measure to be approved or rejected by eligible voters.