American Government Chapter 11

Direct Primary

voters choose the political party’s nominees

Broadly control almost all legislative powers within the states

Executive Powers

approving and appointing government officials

Judicial Powers

impeaching judges or other officers

Constituent Power

power to propose constitutional amendments

Speaker

leads the lower house

President of the Senate

usually the lieutenant governor

President Pro Tempore

presides in the president’s absence

Committees

(standing or joint) common within both houses

Justice of the Peace

An untrained legal officer who deals with minor legal problems (traffic violations, disturbances of the peace, etc.)

Magistrate Courts

like the justice of the peace, but a judge or a magistrate leads the court

Municipal Courts

can be divided into smaller courts based on the issue (small claims, traffic, domestic, etc.)

Small Claims

Lawsuits or cases involving relatively small sums of money between citizens

General Trial

State Equivalent of a “district” court

Popular vote

State legislature is usually elected by the _

Legislative Powers

What powers do State Legislators control within the states?

Voice votes and roll-call

What is most commonly used for the lawmaking process?

Initiative

Citizens of the state can be involved in lawmaking through what?

Referendum

the actual bill proposed by the citizen

Judges

who provides over cases in state courts?