Editing Georgia (U.S. state) (section)

===State government===
{{See also|List of governors of Georgia|Georgia elected officials}}
[[File:GeorgiaCapitolBuilding.jpg|thumb|The [[Georgia State Capitol]] in [[Atlanta]], with the distinctive gold dome]]
[[File:Savannah, GA, USA, Savannah City Hall.jpg|thumb|[[Savannah City Hall]]]]

As with all other U.S. states and the federal government, Georgia's government is based on the [[Separation of powers|separation of legislative, executive, and judicial power]].<ref>[http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/senkids.htm Senate Kids]. Retrieved December 30, 2007. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222060944/http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/senkids.htm |date=December 22, 2007}}</ref> Executive authority in the state rests with the [[Governor (United States)|governor]], currently [[Brian Kemp]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]). Both the [[List of Governors of Georgia|Governor of Georgia]] and [[Lieutenant Governor of Georgia|lieutenant governor]] are elected on separate ballots to four-year terms of office. Unlike the federal government, but like many other U.S. States, most of the executive officials who comprise the governor's cabinet are elected by the citizens of Georgia rather than appointed by the governor.

Legislative authority resides in the [[Georgia General Assembly|General Assembly]], composed of the [[Georgia State Senate|Senate]] and [[Georgia House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. The Lieutenant Governor [[President of the Senate|presides over the Senate]], while members of the House of Representatives select their own Speaker. The [[Georgia (U.S. state) Constitution|Georgia Constitution]] mandates a maximum of 56 senators, elected from single-member districts, and a minimum of 180 representatives, apportioned among representative districts (which sometimes results in more than one representative per district); there are currently 56 senators and 180 representatives. The term of office for senators and representatives is two years.<ref>[http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/conart3.htm Constitution of Georgia Article III Section II]. Retrieved December 30, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209140427/http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/conart3.htm |date=December 9, 2007}}</ref> The laws enacted by the General Assembly are codified in the [[Official Code of Georgia Annotated]].

State judicial authority rests with the state [[Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)|Supreme Court]] and [[Georgia Court of Appeals|Court of Appeals]], which have statewide authority.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gasupreme.us/court-information/history |title= The Supreme Court of Georgia History |website= [[Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)|Supreme Court of Georgia]]|access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref> In addition, there are smaller courts which have more limited geographical jurisdiction, including Superior Courts, State Courts, Juvenile Courts, Magistrate Courts and Probate Courts. Justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the Court of Appeals are elected statewide by the citizens in non-partisan elections to six-year terms. Judges for the smaller courts are elected to four-year terms by the state's citizens who live within that court's jurisdiction.