Government of Arizona

The government of Arizona has three main parts: the executive, the judiciary, and the legislature, as described in the Arizona Constitution.

The executive branch includes the Governor and other leaders chosen by people. They work with a team called the Governor’s cabinet to manage areas like health and transportation.

The legislature is called the Arizona Legislature. It has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. These groups create laws for the state.

The judiciary, or court system, is led by the Arizona Supreme Court. It also includes lower courts that help solve problems and decide on laws. There are also local governments in Arizona, such as counties, cities, and special districts. They take care of local matters like schools and roads.

Executive

Arizona has important leaders chosen by voters. These include the Governor, who leads the state, and other officials like the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and State Treasurer. Each of these leaders serves for four years and can be re-elected only once in a row.

Arizona does not have a lieutenant governor. Instead, the Secretary of State takes over if the Governor can no longer serve. There are also many departments and agencies that help run the state, such as those handling education, health, and public safety.

Legislature

See also: List of representatives and senators of Arizona Legislature by districts (2023–2033)

The Arizona State Legislature has two parts: the Arizona House of Representatives with 60 members and the Arizona Senate with 30 members. Each area of the state has one senator and two representatives. These leaders are chosen to serve for two years and can serve up to four times in a row, but they can serve again after a break.

Each group meets every two years. The first meeting after the big vote is called the first regular meeting, and the meeting the next year is the second regular meeting. These meetings start on the second Monday in January and end by the Saturday of the week that is 100 days later. The leaders can add up to seven more days if needed, and more time can be added if most members agree.

Judiciary

The Arizona Supreme Court is the top court in Arizona. It has one chief justice, a vice chief justice, and five other judges. Most cases go through the Arizona Court of Appeals before reaching the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court can decide if laws are unfair.

The Arizona Superior Court handles big cases in the state. Smaller cases are handled by special courts for small problems.

Merit Selection

Some judges in Arizona are picked by the governor from a list made by a special group. These judges can stay in their jobs unless voters choose not to keep them in elections. This happens in big areas like Maricopa County and Pima County.

Local government

Main article: Administrative divisions of Arizona

See also: List of counties in Arizona and List of cities and towns in Arizona

Arizona is split into areas called counties. These counties get their power from the state. Some places in the counties are cities or towns. These cities and towns have their own local governments, often led by a group of elected leaders called a council.