If two persons claim the same seat in the senate, who will decide between them?  In the lower house?  What are the returns, and where are they kept?  What appeal from decision is there?  If your legislature is now in session, write to your representatives asking them to send you regular reports of the proceedings.  Don’t expect to get such reports for the whole session, however; that would be asking too much.  From the newspapers, report on Monday the principal proceedings of the previous week.  Have you ever seen a legislature in session?  What is to keep a member of the legislature from slandering people?

State five powers which can be exercised only by the senate.  Five, in some states four, which can be exercised only by the lower house.

Are you eligible to the legislature?  If not, what legal qualifications do you lack?  Could a member of the legislature be elected governor or United States senator?

At the last election did you preserve any of the tickets?  Could you secure any of the ballots that were actually used in voting?  Why?

CHAPTER XIII.

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

Officers.—­The chief executive office in every state is that of governor.  There is in each a secretary of state and a state treasurer.  Most states have also a lieutenant governor, a state auditor or comptroller, an attorney general, and a state superintendent of public instruction.  In nearly every case these offices are created by the state constitution.

Eligibility.—­The qualifications required in the governor and lieutenant governor are age, citizenship of the United States, and residence within the State.  The age qualification is required because the responsibilities are so great as to demand the maturity of judgment that comes only with years.  The requirement of citizenship and that of residence are so obviously proper as to need no comment.

For the other offices the qualifications required in most states are simply those required in a voter. [Footnote:  For which see page 298.]

Election.—­In every state the governor is elected by the people, and in most states the other officers are also.  In a few states, some of the officers are chosen by the legislature on joint ballot, or are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate.

Term.—­The terms of office of the governors are given in the table.  Unless otherwise stated, the term of the other officers in each state is the same as that of the governor thereof.  For the highest efficiency the term of a state officer should not be very short, two years being better than one, and four years better than two.  When the term is four years, it may be well to limit the number of terms for which an officer may be elected.  In some cases this is done.

Removal.—­These officers and the others provided by statute may be removed on impeachment by the house of representatives, and conviction by the senate.