States, cities & tribes
governor
A state's chief executive: proposes the budget, signs or vetoes bills, appoints agency heads and often judges, and commands the state National Guard.
In full
Governors are elected statewide, usually to four-year terms, and most face term limits. Their veto power is often stronger than the President's, since most have a line-item veto over appropriations. They also declare state emergencies, call special sessions, and in many states fill U.S. Senate vacancies by appointment.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.