| A | B |
|---|
| Legislature | Branch of State Government composed of two houses that make the state's laws. |
| Executive Branch | The branch that is headed by the Governor; responsible for administering the laws. |
| Judicial Branch | The branch that enforces and interprets the laws. |
| Senators | A total of 49 that work in one branch of the Legislature; serve 4 year terms. |
| Representatives | A Total of 98 that work in one branch of the legislature; serve 2 year terms. |
| Constitution | A system of fundamental principles by which a state is governed. |
| Election | The selection of a person or persons by vote. |
| Elected Official | A person who is elected by the people to perform a certain task. |
| Precinct | A district marked out for governmental purposes. |
| Precedent | A legal decision serving as an auhoritative rule in future similar cases. |
| Initiative | A procedure by which a specified number of voters may propose a statute, constitutional ammendment, or ordinance. |
| Recall | The removal of a public official, from office, by a vote of the people upon petition. |
| Referendum | The principle or practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body to the vote of the electorate for approval. |
| Veto | The power invested in a chief executive to reject bills passed by the legislature. |
| Gary Locke | Governor of Washington. |
| Clyde Ballard | Republican Co-Speaker of the House. |
| Brad Owen | Lieutenant Governor; President of the Senate. |
| Gerrymandering | The dividing of a state into election districts so as to give one political party a majority in many districts while concentrating the voting strengh of the other party into as few districts as possible. |
| Filibuster | The use of irregular or obstructive tactics, as exceptionally long speeches, by a member of a minority in a legislative assembly to prevent the adoption of a measure generally favored or to force a decision almost unanimously disliked. |
| Capital | The city or town that is the official seat of government in a state. |
