About the Legislature

The term of office for Senate and House of Representatives members is two years. The requirements for candidates for Senate and House of Representatives are found in Article II of the State Constitution. Please visit the State Board of Elections website for the additional information.

The Executive Branch of government enforces laws made by the legislature. The head of this branch is the Governor, who is elected every four years. Along with the Governor, the Executive Branch also includes the Lieutenant Governor, the Council of State, and many State agencies.

The Judicial Branch interprets what our laws mean and makes decisions about the laws and those who break them. The Courts of the Judicial Branch are split into three divisions, the Appellate Division, the Superior Court Division, and the District Court Division.

The role of the United States Congress is explicitly defined and limited in the United States Constitution. The 10th amendment states, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people." The Congress is comprised of two chambers: United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives