1. State Government In A Federal System
Chapter 6.4
State Government In
A Federal System

2. State Governments Required: Have a “Republican” government All:
Have a State “C”
Have a State Legislature

3. State “C”
Change often
Add amendments often
Long & detailed

4. State Legislatures Laws Taxes Budgets Elected by popular vote
Work for and in their state

5. Apportionment Distribution of seats in: US House of Representitives
State House of Representitives
(# of Reps that you get)

6. Numbers House of Representatives # based on population
More people in the state = more reps in the house
435 in the US HoR

7. How? Census (10 year count) States gain or lose reps MI = 14 reps
That means we have 14 districts

8. What happens? Approx. 7000,000 people per district
May need to redistrict
?? Redraw the boundary lines for districts

9. Who decides?
State legislatures
Problem?
Yes……….

10. Gerrymandering Redraw districts line to favor a political party
Some states now have an unbiased group
Most still use the state legislature

11. Who’s in charge ? State Governor Executive Branch Budget Veto bills
appoint officials
Command National Guard
Issue Executive Orders

12. Executive Order Order issued to accomplish a specific task or policy
Economic development
Education
Safety

13. Remember
Federal laws always win over state laws

14. State Court System
Majority of legal cases
Trial Courts
Appeals Courts

15. AND….. Levels of courts for cases
Lower: traffic / family / small claims
Higher: criminal / lawsuits

16. 6.5 Local Government Provide basic services: Water Police
Waste removal
Schools

17. States are divided
48 = counties
1 = parish (LA)
1 = boroughs (AK)

18. Who’s in charge? Commissioners Mayors Councils Supervisors Managers
Page 111

19. Local Government Provides many services Depend on volunteers Low pay
Need to be in touch with the people
People? = YOU Speak Up!!

20. Check 6.4 & 6.5 Why is a state “C” long? What is apportionment?
Who is responsible (mostly) for redistricting?
What is gerrymandering?
Who is in charge of the state government?