The Executive BranchThe Executive Branch

February 10, 2014February 10, 2014

The Executive BranchThe Executive Branch The Executive:The Executive:

The largest branch The largest branch Responsible for the day-to-day Responsible for the day-to-day

management of the statemanagement of the state Made up of the governor, lieutenant Made up of the governor, lieutenant

governor, other elected officials, governor, other elected officials, statutory officials, and boards and statutory officials, and boards and agenciesagencies

The GovernorThe Governor The governor is the chief executive officer The governor is the chief executive officer

of the stateof the state Elected by a majority of the popular vote Elected by a majority of the popular vote

for a 4-year termfor a 4-year term Governors can serve 2 consecutive terms, Governors can serve 2 consecutive terms,

then must sit out one term if they want to then must sit out one term if they want to run againrun again

To become governor, a person must be at To become governor, a person must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the U.S. for least 30 years old, a citizen of the U.S. for at least 15 years, and a resident of Georgia at least 15 years, and a resident of Georgia for at least 6 yearsfor at least 6 years

Formal Powers of the GovernorFormal Powers of the Governor The Georgia constitution describes the The Georgia constitution describes the

governor’s formal powersgovernor’s formal powers These can be classified as executive, These can be classified as executive,

legislative, and judicial powerslegislative, and judicial powers Executive: appointing state officials and Executive: appointing state officials and

making sure laws are enforcedmaking sure laws are enforced Legislative: signing bills into law, vetoing a Legislative: signing bills into law, vetoing a

bill, calling special sessions of the bill, calling special sessions of the legislaturelegislature

Judicial: pardon (forgive) persons convicted Judicial: pardon (forgive) persons convicted of crimesof crimes

Other Formal Powers of the Other Formal Powers of the GovernorGovernor

Other formal powers include:Other formal powers include: Managing the state’s budgetManaging the state’s budget Making an annual “State of the State” Making an annual “State of the State”

speechspeech Serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Serving as Commander-in-Chief of the

Georgia National GuardGeorgia National Guard Sending state troopers into communities Sending state troopers into communities

in times of dangerin times of danger

Informal Powers of the GovernorInformal Powers of the Governor

The governor also has informal powersThe governor also has informal powers These are not written into the constitution, These are not written into the constitution,

but came about as a result of tradition and but came about as a result of tradition and customcustom

They include:They include: Issuing proclamations to honor individuals for Issuing proclamations to honor individuals for

their achievementstheir achievements Working with the legislature to get laws passedWorking with the legislature to get laws passed Guiding state agenciesGuiding state agencies

The Lieutenant GovernorThe Lieutenant Governor The Lieutenant Governor is elected by popular The Lieutenant Governor is elected by popular

vote at the same time as the governorvote at the same time as the governor They must meet the same requirements as They must meet the same requirements as

the governor, but they can serve an unlimited the governor, but they can serve an unlimited number of consecutive terms in officenumber of consecutive terms in office

They are the presiding officer of the state They are the presiding officer of the state senatesenate

The Lieutenant Governor becomes governor in The Lieutenant Governor becomes governor in the event of the death, resignation, or the event of the death, resignation, or impeachment of the governorimpeachment of the governor

Other elected members of the Other elected members of the Executive BranchExecutive Branch

Voters also elect these people who all Voters also elect these people who all serve 4-year terms (these are just a serve 4-year terms (these are just a few of the many):few of the many): State attorney general: chief legal officerState attorney general: chief legal officer Commissioners of Agriculture, Labor, and Commissioners of Agriculture, Labor, and

Insurance: heads of those departmentsInsurance: heads of those departments Secretary of State: maintains the state’s Secretary of State: maintains the state’s

official recordsofficial records State School Superintendent: head of the State School Superintendent: head of the

Department of EducationDepartment of Education

State Agencies and Statutory State Agencies and Statutory OfficialsOfficials

Statutory officials are not provided for in the Statutory officials are not provided for in the constitution, nor are they electedconstitution, nor are they elected

Their jobs are called for by law and they are Their jobs are called for by law and they are appointed by the governor or head of the appointed by the governor or head of the department that they servedepartment that they serve

State agencies are created by the constitution State agencies are created by the constitution or lawsor laws

There are over 30 major agencies in our There are over 30 major agencies in our governmentgovernment

These include the Board of Pardons and These include the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Board of Natural Resources, and Paroles, the Board of Natural Resources, and the Board of Public Safety (there are many, the Board of Public Safety (there are many, many more)many more)

Questions:Questions: 1) What is the responsibility of the executive branch?1) What is the responsibility of the executive branch? 2) Which state officials are part of the executive branch?2) Which state officials are part of the executive branch? 3) How is the governor elected and for how long?3) How is the governor elected and for how long? 4) How many terms can a governor serve?4) How many terms can a governor serve? 5) What are the qualifications to become governor in 5) What are the qualifications to become governor in

Georgia?Georgia? 6) Where do the governor’s formal powers come from?6) Where do the governor’s formal powers come from? 7) Describe the executive, legislative, and judicial formal 7) Describe the executive, legislative, and judicial formal

powers of the governorpowers of the governor 8) What are some other formal powers of the governor?8) What are some other formal powers of the governor? 9) How did the governor’s informal powers come about? 9) How did the governor’s informal powers come about?

More Questions:More Questions: 10) What are some of the governor’s informal powers?10) What are some of the governor’s informal powers? 11) How many consecutive terms can a lieutenant 11) How many consecutive terms can a lieutenant

governor serve?governor serve? 12) What are the qualifications to be lieutenant 12) What are the qualifications to be lieutenant

governor in Georgia?governor in Georgia? 13) Which part of government does the lieutenant 13) Which part of government does the lieutenant

governor preside over?governor preside over? 14) How can the lieutenant governor become 14) How can the lieutenant governor become

governor?governor? 15) What are some of the other elected members of 15) What are some of the other elected members of

the executive branch?the executive branch? 16) How long are their terms of office?16) How long are their terms of office? 17) Who is the chief legal officer of the state?17) Who is the chief legal officer of the state? 18) Who maintains the state’s official records? 18) Who maintains the state’s official records?

More Questions:More Questions: 19) How do statutory officials get 19) How do statutory officials get

their jobs?their jobs? 20) How are state agencies created?20) How are state agencies created? 21) How many major state agencies 21) How many major state agencies

are there in our state?are there in our state? 22) What are some examples of state 22) What are some examples of state

agencies and boards in Georgia? agencies and boards in Georgia?