| |
| |
| |
State governments | Initiative & referendum in the U.S. | Origin of states' names
State governments
- See also: U.S. Constitution and Congress
States can organize their state governments any way they like, as long as they conform to the sole requirement of the U.S. Constitution that they have "a Republican Form of Government." In practice, each state has adopted a three-branch system of government generally along the sames lines as that of the federal government. Nebraska, for example, has a unicameral legislature.
Alabama
- See also: Alabama
Alaska
- See also: Alaska
Arizona
- See also: Arizona
Arkansas
- See also: Arkansas
- Governor of Arkansas
- Arkansas State Legislature
- Arkansas State Senate
- Arkansas House of Representatives
California
- See also: California
- Governor of California
- California State Legislature
- California State Senate
- California House of Representatives
Colorado
- See also: Colorado
- Governor of Colorado
- Colorado State Legislature
- Colorado State Senate
- Colorado House of Representatives
Connecticut
- See also: Connecticut
- Governor of Connecticut
- Connecticut State Legislature
- Connecticut State Senate
- Connecticut House of Representatives
Delaware
- See also: Delaware
- Governor of Delaware
- Delaware State Legislature
- Delaware State Senate
- Delaware House of Representatives
Florida
- See also: Florida
Georgia
- See also: Georgia
Hawaii
- See also: Hawaii
Idaho
- See also: Idaho
Illinois
- See also: Illinois
- Governor of Illinois
- Illinois State Legislature
- Illinois State Senate
- Illinois House of Representatives
Indiana
- See also: Indiana
Iowa
- See also: Iowa
Kansas
- See also: Kansas
Kentucky
- See also: Kentucky
- Governor of Kentucky
- Kentucky State Legislature
- Kentucky State Senate
- Kentucky House of Representatives
Louisiana
- See also: Louisiana
- Governor of Louisiana
- Louisiana State Legislature
- Louisiana State Senate
- Louisiana House of Representatives
Maine
- See also: Maine
Maryland
- See also: Maryland
- Governor of Maryland
- Maryland State Legislature
- Maryland State Senate
- Maryland House of Representatives
Massachusetts
- See also: Massachusetts
- Governor of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts State Legislature
- Massachusetts State Senate
- Massachusetts House of Representatives
Michigan
- See also: Michigan
- Governor of Michigan
- Michigan State Legislature
- Michigan State Senate
- Michigan House of Representatives
Minnesota
- See also: Minnesota
- Governor of Minnesota
- Minnesota State Legislature
- Minnesota State Senate
- Minnesota House of Representatives
Mississippi
- See also: Mississippi
- Governor of Mississippi
- Mississippi State Legislature
- Mississippi State Senate
- Mississippi House of Representatives
Missouri
- See also: Missouri
- Governor of Missouri
- Missouri State Legislature
- Missouri State Senate
- Missouri House of Representatives
Montana
- See also: Montana
Nebraska
- See also: Nebraska
Nevada
- See also: Nevada
New Hampshire
- See also: New Hampshire
- Governor of New Hampshire
- New Hampshire State Legislature
- New Hampshire State Senate
- New Hampshire House of Representatives
New Jersey
- See also: New Jersey
- Governor of New Jersey
- New Jersey State Legislature
- New Jersey State Senate
- New Jersey House of Representatives
New Mexico
- See also: New Mexico
- Governor of New Mexico
- New Mexico State Legislature
- New Mexico State Senate
- New Mexico House of Representatives
New York
- See also: New York
North Carolina
- See also: North Carolina
- Governor of North Carolina
- North Carolina State Legislature
- North Carolina State Senate
- North Carolina House of Representatives
North Dakota
- See also: North Dakota
- Governor of North Dakota
- North Dakota State Legislature
- North Dakota State Senate
- North Dakota House of Representatives
Ohio
- See also: Ohio
Oklahoma
- See also: Oklahoma
- Governor of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma State Legislature
- Oklahoma State Senate
- Oklahoma House of Representatives
Oregon
- See also: Oregon
Pennsylvania
- See also: Pennsylvania
- Governor of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania State Legislature
- Pennsylvania State Senate
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Rhode Island
- See also: Rhode Island
- Governor of Rhode Island
- Rhode Island State Legislature
- Rhode Island State Senate
- Rhode Island House of Representatives
South Carolina
- See also: South Carolina
- Governor of South Carolina
- South Carolina State Legislature
- South Carolina State Senate
- South Carolina House of Representatives
South Dakota
- See also: South Dakota
- Governor of South Dakota
- South Dakota State Legislature
- South Dakota State Senate
- South Dakota House of Representatives
Tennessee
- See also: Tennessee
- Governor of Tennessee
- Tennessee State Legislature
- Tennessee State Senate
- Tennessee House of Representatives
Texas
- See also: Texas
Utah
- See also: Utah
Vermont
- See also: Vermont
Virginia
- See also: Virginia
- Governor of Virginia
- Virginia State Legislature
- Virginia State Senate
- Virginia House of Representatives
Washington
- See also: Washington
- Governor of Washington
- Washington State Legislature
- Washington State Senate
- Washington House of Representatives
West Virginia
- See also: West Virginia
- Governor of West Virginia
- West Virginia State Legislature
- West Virginia State Senate
- West Virginia House of Representatives
Wisconsin
- See also: Wisconsin
- Governor of Wisconsin
- Wisconsin State Legislature
- Wisconsin State Senate
- Wisconsin House of Representatives
Wyoming
- See also: Wyoming
Initiative & referendum in the U.S.
- Main page: Laws governing ballot measures
Initiate constitutional amendments
In 18 states, citizens can start an initiated constitutional amendment:
Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Florida · Illinois · Massachusetts · Michigan · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · South Dakota
Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments
Every state except for Delaware has legislatively referred constitutional amendments.
Initiated state statutes
In 21 states, citizens can start an initiated state statute:
Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Idaho · Maine · Massachusetts · Michigan · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · South Dakota · Utah · Washington · Wyoming
Legislatively-referred state statutes
In 24 states and one unincorporated organized territory, legislatures can use employ a legislatively referred state statute:
Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Delaware · Idaho · Illinois · Kentucky · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Mexico · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Puerto Rico · South Dakota · Utah · Washington · Puerto Rico
Veto referendum
In 25 states, citizens can overturn state statutes through veto referendum:
Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Idaho · Kentucky · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Mexico · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · South Dakota · Utah · Washington · Washington, D.C. · Wyoming
Statewide recall
In 19 states, citizens can recall their state officials:
Alaska · Arizona · California · Colorado · Georgia · Idaho · Illinois · Kansas · Louisiana · Michigan · Minnesota · Montana · Nevada · New Jersey · North Dakota · Oregon · Rhode Island · Washington · Wisconsin
Right of statute affirmation
One state grants the right of statute affirmation: Nevada
Right of citizen-initiated grand jury empanelment
In 6 states and one unincorporated organized territory, citizens can petition to impanel grand juries:
Kansas · Nevada · North Dakota · New Mexico · Nebraska · Oklahoma · Puerto Rico
Origin of states' names
State names speak to the circumstances of their creation.
British
- Some states on the Atlantic coast originated from British colonies named after British monarchs: Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Others, also former British colonies, take their names from places in the British Isles: New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York. Pennsylvania, meaning "Penn's woods," in Latin, takes its name from the father of its founder, William Penn. Delaware is named after Thomas West, Lord De La Warr, an early colonist and governor of the Jamestown Colony.
Native American
- Many states' names are those of Native American tribes or are from Native American languages: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, the Dakotas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and others. Additionally, the name of Idaho was presented as a Native American word by eccentric lobbyist George M. Willing, though it was later revealed that he likely made it up. Indiana means literally "land of Indians."
Spanish
- Because they are on territories previously controlled by Spain or Mexico, many states in the southeast and southwest have Spanish names. They include Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Montana, and, ultimately of Native American origin, New Mexico. California is also believed to be of Spanish origin, though this is not entirely clear.
French
- Because it was previously a French colony, Louisiana is named after Louis XIV (the King of France at the time). Maine may also be named after the historical French province of Maine, although another theory derives "Maine" from "mainland," differentiating it from the outlying islands. Vermont is derived from the French term for "green mountains," a reference to its mountainous but forested terrain.
Other
- Formally referred to as the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Rhode Island likely gained its name through the supposed similarity of Aquidneck Island (the body of land known as Rhode Island, which contains the city of Newport and the towns of Portsmouth and Middletown) to the Greek Isle of Rhodes, however as it was originally an offshoot of the Dutch colony of Nieu Netherlands, it is more likely the name is an Anglicization of the Dutch name for the place, "Rhodt" or simply "Red Island," which probably referred to the color of the soil there. Providence Plantations, which makes reference to the mainland that surrounds Narragansett Bay, was named by its religious founders for God's divine providence.[1] The state of Washington was named after George Washington.[2] Arizona may come from a Basque term, or it may be of Native American origin.[3] The name Hawaii came from Hawaiʻiloa, legendary discoverer of the Hawaiian islands.
Origin unknown
See also
- Forms of direct democracy in the American states
- Understanding different types of ballot measures
- States with initiative or referendum
- Three states with veto referendum only
- Initiative states compared by number of initiatives on their ballot
- Initiative states in order of first appearance of an initiative on the ballot
- Initiative frequency as a factor of time allowed to collect signatures
- Initiative frequency and success throughout the decades
External links
- Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (in order of population)
- Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (alphabetical)
- Origin of State Names
- State and Territorial Governments on FirstGov.gov
- StateMaster - statistical database for US States
