States

* * *

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 sub-national entities of the United States.

Additionally, there are five U.S. territories—American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—and Washington, D.C.

## Contents

* 1 State governments
* 2 Initiative & referendum in the U.S.
* 2.1 Initiate constitutional amendments
* 2.2 Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments
* 2.3 Initiated state statutes
* 2.4 Legislatively-referred state statutes
* 2.5 Veto referendum
* 2.6 Statewide recall
* 2.7 Right of statute affirmation
* 2.8 Right of citizen-initiated grand jury empanelment
* 3 See also
* 4 Footnotes

## State governments[edit]

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.

State links

State  | State area  | State population  | U.S. Congress  | State executives  | State legislature  | State courts  | State ballot measures
Alabama | 50,646 square miles | 5,030,053 | U.S. Congress from Alabama | Alabama state executives | Alabama State Legislature | Courts in Alabama | Alabama ballot measures
Alaska | 571,019 square miles | 736,081 | U.S. Congress from Alaska | Alaska state executives | Alaska State Legislature | Courts in Alaska | Alaska ballot measures
Arizona | 113,653 square miles | 7,158,923 | U.S. Congress from Arizona | Arizona state executives | Arizona State Legislature | Courts in Arizona | Arizona ballot measures
Arkansas | 51,992 square miles | 3,013,756 | U.S. Congress from Arkansas | Arkansas state executives | Arkansas State Legislature | Courts in Arkansas | Arkansas ballot measures
California | 155,857 square miles | 39,576,757 | U.S. Congress from California | California state executives | California State Legislature | Courts in California | California ballot measures
Colorado | 103,636 square miles | 5,782,171 | U.S. Congress from Colorado | Colorado state executives | Colorado State Legislature | Courts in Colorado | Colorado ballot measures
Connecticut | 4,842 square miles | 3,608,298 | U.S. Congress from Connecticut | Connecticut state executives | Connecticut State Legislature | Courts in Connecticut | Connecticut ballot measures
Delaware | 1,948 square miles | 990,837 | U.S. Congress from Delaware | Delaware state executives | Delaware State Legislature | Courts in Delaware | Delaware ballot measures
Florida | 53,653 square miles | 21,570,527 | U.S. Congress from Florida | Florida state executives | Florida State Legislature | Courts in Florida | Florida ballot measures
Georgia | 57,716 square miles | 10,725,274 | U.S. Congress from Georgia | Georgia state executives | Georgia State Legislature | Courts in Georgia | Georgia ballot measures
Hawaii | 6,422 square miles | 1,460,137 | U.S. Congress from Hawaii | Hawaii state executives | Hawaii State Legislature | Courts in Hawaii | Hawaii ballot measures
Idaho | 82,644 square miles | 1,841,377 | U.S. Congress from Idaho | Idaho state executives | Idaho State Legislature | Courts in Idaho | Idaho ballot measures
Illinois | 55,512 square miles | 12,822,739 | U.S. Congress from Illinois | Illinois state executives | Illinois State Legislature | Courts in Illinois | Illinois ballot measures
Indiana | 35,825 square miles | 6,790,280 | U.S. Congress from Indiana | Indiana state executives | Indiana State Legislature | Courts in Indiana | Indiana ballot measures
Iowa | 55,853 square miles | 3,192,406 | U.S. Congress from Iowa | Iowa state executives | Iowa State Legislature | Courts in Iowa | Iowa ballot measures
Kansas | 81,758 square miles | 2,940,865 | U.S. Congress from Kansas | Kansas state executives | Kansas State Legislature | Courts in Kansas | Kansas ballot measures
Kentucky | 39,491 square miles | 4,509,342 | U.S. Congress from Kentucky | Kentucky state executives | Kentucky State Legislature | Courts in Kentucky | Kentucky ballot measures
Louisiana | 43,210 square miles | 4,661,468 | U.S. Congress from Louisiana | Louisiana state executives | Louisiana State Legislature | Courts in Louisiana | Louisiana ballot measures
Maine | 30,844 square miles | 1,363,582 | U.S. Congress from Maine | Maine state executives | Maine State Legislature | Courts in Maine | Maine ballot measures
Maryland | 9,711 square miles | 6,185,278 | U.S. Congress from Maryland | Maryland state executives | Maryland State Legislature | Courts in Maryland | Maryland ballot measures
Massachusetts | 7,800 square miles | 7,033,469 | U.S. Congress from Massachusetts | Massachusetts state executives | Massachusetts State Legislature | Courts in Massachusetts | Massachusetts ballot measures
Michigan | 56,608 square miles | 10,084,442 | U.S. Congress from Michigan | Michigan state executives | Michigan State Legislature | Courts in Michigan | Michigan ballot measures
Minnesota | 79,626 square miles | 5,709,752 | U.S. Congress from Minnesota | Minnesota state executives | Minnesota State Legislature | Courts in Minnesota | Minnesota ballot measures
Mississippi | 46,924 square miles | 2,963,914 | U.S. Congress from Mississippi | Mississippi state executives | Mississippi State Legislature | Courts in Mississippi | Mississippi ballot measures
Missouri | 68,746 square miles | 6,160,281 | U.S. Congress from Missouri | Missouri state executives | Missouri State Legislature | Courts in Missouri | Missouri ballot measures
Montana | 145,549 square miles | 1,085,407 | U.S. Congress from Montana | Montana state executives | Montana State Legislature | Courts in Montana | Montana ballot measures
Nebraska | 76,817 square miles | 1,963,333 | U.S. Congress from Nebraska | Nebraska state executives | Nebraska State Legislature | Courts in Nebraska | Nebraska ballot measures
Nevada | 109,859 square miles | 3,108,462 | U.S. Congress from Nevada | Nevada state executives | Nevada State Legislature | Courts in Nevada | Nevada ballot measures
New Hampshire | 8,953 square miles | 1,379,089 | U.S. Congress from New Hampshire | New Hampshire state executives | New Hampshire State Legislature | Courts in New Hampshire | New Hampshire ballot measures
New Jersey | 7,354 square miles | 9,294,493 | U.S. Congress from New Jersey | New Jersey state executives | New Jersey State Legislature | Courts in New Jersey | New Jersey ballot measures
New Mexico | 121,312 square miles | 2,120,220 | U.S. Congress from New Mexico | New Mexico state executives | New Mexico State Legislature | Courts in New Mexico | New Mexico ballot measures
New York | 47,123 square miles | 20,215,751 | U.S. Congress from New York | New York state executives | New York State Legislature | Courts in New York | New York ballot measures
North Carolina | 48,622 square miles | 10,453,948 | U.S. Congress from North Carolina | North Carolina state executives | North Carolina State Legislature | Courts in North Carolina | North Carolina ballot measures
North Dakota | 68,993 square miles | 779,702 | U.S. Congress from North Dakota | North Dakota state executives | North Dakota State Legislature | Courts in North Dakota | North Dakota ballot measures
Ohio | 40,858 square miles | 11,808,848 | U.S. Congress from Ohio | Ohio state executives | Ohio State Legislature | Courts in Ohio | Ohio ballot measures
Oklahoma | 68,596 square miles | 3,963,516 | U.S. Congress from Oklahoma | Oklahoma state executives | Oklahoma State Legislature | Courts in Oklahoma | Oklahoma ballot measures
Oregon | 95,995 square miles | 4,241,500 | U.S. Congress from Oregon | Oregon state executives | Oregon State Legislature | Courts in Oregon | Oregon ballot measures
Pennsylvania | 44,741 square miles | 13,011,844 | U.S. Congress from Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania state executives | Pennsylvania State Legislature | Courts in Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania ballot measures
Rhode Island | 1,033 square miles | 1,098,163 | U.S. Congress from Rhode Island | Rhode Island state executives | Rhode Island State Legislature | Courts in Rhode Island | Rhode Island ballot measures
South Carolina | 30,064 square miles | 5,124,712 | U.S. Congress from South Carolina | South Carolina state executives | South Carolina State Legislature | Courts in South Carolina | South Carolina ballot measures
South Dakota | 75,808 square miles | 887,770 | U.S. Congress from South Dakota | South Dakota state executives | South Dakota State Legislature | Courts in South Dakota | South Dakota ballot measures
Tennessee | 41,232 square miles | 6,916,897 | U.S. Congress from Tennessee | Tennessee state executives | Tennessee State Legislature | Courts in Tennessee | Tennessee ballot measures
Texas | 261,266 square miles | 29,183,290 | U.S. Congress from Texas | Texas state executives | Texas State Legislature | Courts in Texas | Texas ballot measures
Utah | 82,376 square miles | 3,275,252 | U.S. Congress from Utah | Utah state executives | Utah State Legislature | Courts in Utah | Utah ballot measures
Vermont | 9,217 square miles | 643,503 | U.S. Congress from Vermont | Vermont state executives | Vermont State Legislature | Courts in Vermont | Vermont ballot measures
Virginia | 39,481 square miles | 8,654,542 | U.S. Congress from Virginia | Virginia state executives | Virginia State Legislature | Courts in Virginia | Virginia ballot measures
Washington | 66,455 square miles | 7,715,946 | U.S. Congress from Washington | Washington state executives | Washington State Legislature | Courts in Washington | Washington ballot measures
West Virginia | 24,041 square miles | 1,795,045 | U.S. Congress from West Virginia | West Virginia state executives | West Virginia State Legislature | Courts in West Virginia | West Virginia ballot measures
Wisconsin | 54,166 square miles | 5,897,473 | U.S. Congress from Wisconsin | Wisconsin state executives | Wisconsin State Legislature | Courts in Wisconsin | Wisconsin ballot measures
Wyoming | 97,088 square miles | 577,719 | U.S. Congress from Wyoming | Wyoming state executives | Wyoming State Legislature | Courts in Wyoming | Wyoming ballot measures

## Initiative & referendum in the U.S.[edit]

Main page: Laws governing ballot measures

### Initiate constitutional amendments[edit]

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[edit]

Every state except for Delaware has legislatively referred constitutional amendments.

### Initiated state statutes[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

One state grants the right of statute affirmation: Nevada

### Right of citizen-initiated grand jury empanelment[edit]

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

## See also[edit]

* U.S. Congress
* State politics
* Municipal government
* States with initiative or referendum
* Political recall efforts by state

## Footnotes[edit]