Governor’s powers
The legal and political authorities held by a state governor, including appointment, budget, and removal powers.
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Governor’s powers | The legal and political authorities held by a state governor, including appointment, budget, and removal powers. |
| National Governors’ Association | A bipartisan organization of U.S. governors that advocates policy positions and coordinates state‑level priorities. |
| Governor as presidential pipeline | The pattern by which state governors gain national visibility and sometimes become U.S. presidents. |
| Political elite | A small group of influential leaders who dominate political decision‑making in a state or region. |
| Voter turnout | The percentage of eligible voters who participate in elections; noted as low in Georgia in the slide. |
| Traditionalistic political culture | A culture that emphasizes social hierarchy and deference to established elites in politics. |
| Individualistic political culture | A culture that treats politics as a marketplace where individuals pursue private interests and participation is optional. |
| Direct action | Public tactics such as protests, boycotts, and demonstrations used to press for change outside formal institutions. |
| Boycott | A coordinated refusal to buy or use goods or services to pressure change. |
| Demonstration | A public gathering or protest to express political or social demands. |
| Referendum | A direct vote by citizens on a specific policy or law; often used for limited or local issues. |
| Recall election | A procedure allowing voters to remove an elected official before the end of a term; often limited by state law or executive removal powers. |
| State constitution | The fundamental legal document that establishes a state’s government structure, powers, and citizen rights. |
| Sovereignty of states | The principle that states possess independent authority to write constitutions and govern internal affairs within the federal system. |
| Living document | The idea that a constitution is adaptable over time through amendments, interpretation, and revision. |
| Amendment | A formal change or addition to a constitution; Georgia’s older constitutions accumulated hundreds of amendments. |
| Reconstruction constitution | A post‑Civil War state constitution created under Reconstruction governments, often replaced by later conservative documents. |
| Confederacy constitution | A short‑lived state constitution adopted when Georgia joined the Confederate States during the Civil War. |
| Constitutional revision commission | A legislatively appointed body that studies and proposes comprehensive constitutional changes or a new constitution. |
| Bill of Rights (state) | The opening section of many state constitutions that lists and protects individual civil liberties and rights. |
| Local government empowerment | Constitutional provisions that define and authorize the powers of counties and cities within the state. |