Response should be between 300 and 325 words.
State and local governments are similar among their governmental structures in many different ways. Yet, there is one that is at the top and is key to their and the federal governments structures; they are the executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. All western government in the United States is held together by these branches and by one of or both political parties (dominantly Democratic or Republican), there is other parties such as the libertarians or liberals or socialists; however over time the democrats and republicans have become the dominant money hungry parties. With that said, it is hopeful that the republican party can make some good changes in Washington D.C. over the next two years and if not it is possible that the democrats could re-take congress.
The Executive branch of the government(s) is pioneered by the governor of the state (who is forthwith voted in by the citizens), other leaders within this branch are also forthwith voted in by the citizens (i.e. attorney general(s), auditor(s), commissioner(s), lieutenant governor, and secretary of state); even though this is a similar branch among all states and local government(s), no two states contain the same identical organization of this branch (The White House (TWH), n.d., para. 3). The Legislative branch is the group of voted in representatives which are in turn the individuals chosen to acknowledge dealings or affairs measured out by the governor or brought up by other members thus to possibly crate legislation (which in turn may become law); this branch also takes care of things such as: budgets, taxes, any impeachment articles, and controls the system of checks and balances (used to prevent the other governmental branches from abusing their powers) - this branch contains two chambers (an upper and lower house), the upper is small and the lower is large, also known as the Senate (upper house) and the House of Representatives (lower house) (Note: the only state that is different from all other is Nebraska, they have one chamber) (TWH, n.d., para. 4-5). Finally the Judicial branch, are supervised and ran by State Supreme Court who listen to the lower courts appeals, the judges of these courts are elected by the citizens, however the supreme courts are delegated to correct the wrongs of the lower courts; each states supreme court then answers to the United States Supreme Court if any inconsistencies are brought up about the Constitution of the United States (TWH, n.d., para. 6).
In local governments, there is two levels: counties and cities or towns (also known as municipalities) (in Alaska they are called boroughs and in Louisiana they are parishes); each of the counties and municipalities respond to the geographical designations created by the United States Census Bureau - within the municipalities (normally the larger towns and cities) contain mayors, council members, and any other elected governmental bodies who in turn report to the governor of the state (TWH, n.d. para., 7-8). Other similarities between states and local governments would be the creation of decisions that may change or do change to citizens daily lives such as: running schools, where and how roads and bridges are built, how the land is used, how and to whom social services are used, regulations in driving, decisions of what is criminal, and in some cases act in our occupations and families; as well there are a few things that state and local government s have over the federal government: have more consistent daily contact with American citizens and each state and local government acts in a particular economic structure and in turn each is part of the larger economic and social system (Magleby, Light, and Nemacheck, 2014 p.5).