| Capitol complex | | | | The current majority party is the Republican |
| | | | Party, which has held power since 1950. |
| State capital of Arizona is in Phoenix. The | | | | |
| original Capitol building, with its | | | | Arizona state senators and representatives |
| distinctive copper dome, was dedicated in | | | | are elected for two year terms and are |
| 1901 (construction was completed for $136,000 | | | | limited to four consecutive terms in a |
| in 1900), when the area was still a | | | | chamber, though there is no limit on the |
| territory. Phoenix became the official state | | | | total number of terms. When a lawmaker is |
| capital with Arizona's admission to the union | | | | term-limited from office, it is not uncommon |
| in 1912. | | | | for him or her to run for election in the |
| | | | other chamber. |
| Separate legislative buildings for the House | | | | |
| of Representatives and Senate were dedicated | | | | The fiscal year 2006-07 general fund budget, |
| in 1960, and an Executive Office Building was | | | | approved by the Arizona Legislature in June |
| dedicated in 1974 (the ninth floor of this | | | | 2006, is slightly less than $10 billion. |
| building is where the Office of the Governor | | | | Besides the money spent on state agencies, it |
| is located). The original Capitol building | | | | also includes more than $500 million in |
| was converted into a museum. | | | | income- and property tax cuts, pay raises for |
| | | | government employees, and additional funding |
| The Capitol complex is fronted and | | | | for the K-12 education system. |
| highlighted by the richly landscaped Wesley | | | | |
| Bolin Memorial Park, named after Wesley | | | | State executive branch |
| Bolin, a governor who died in office in the | | | | |
| 1970s. Numerous monuments and memorials are | | | | Arizona's executive branch is headed by a |
| on the site, including the anchor and signal | | | | governor elected for a four-year term. The |
| mast from the USS Arizona (one of the U.S. | | | | governor may serve any number of terms, |
| Navy ships sunk in Pearl Harbor); a granite | | | | though no more than two in a row. The current |
| version of the Ten Commandments; and the | | | | governor of Arizona is Janet Napolitano, a |
| Arizona Vietnam Veterans' Memorial. | | | | Democrat. She was first elected in 2002 and |
| | | | again in 2006 (she was officially sworn in on |
| State legislature | | | | her second term on January 4, 2007). |
| | | | |
| Arizona's legislature is bicameral (like the | | | | Due to the state of Arizona not having a |
| legislature of every other state except | | | | governor's mansion, the governor resides |
| Nebraska) and consists of a thirty-member | | | | within their private place of residence |
| Senate and a 60-member House of | | | | during their term in office. |
| Representatives. Legislators are elected for | | | | |
| two-year terms. | | | | Federal representation |
| | | | |
| Each Legislature covers a two-year period. | | | | The two U.S. Senators from Arizona are |
| The first session following the general | | | | Senator John McCain (Republican) and Senator |
| election is known as the first regular | | | | Jon Kyl (Republican). |
| session, and the session convening in the | | | | |
| second year is known as the second regular | | | | Arizona's representatives in the United |
| session. Each regular session begins on the | | | | States House of Representatives are Rick |
| second Monday in January and adjourns sine | | | | Renzi (R-1), Trent Franks (R-2), John Shadegg |
| die (terminates for the year) no later than | | | | (R-3), Ed Pastor (D-4), Harry Mitchell (D-5), |
| Saturday of the week in which the 100th day | | | | Jeff Flake (R-6), Raul Grijalva (D-7), and |
| from the beginning of the regular session | | | | Gabrielle Giffords (D-8). Jim Kolbe announced |
| falls. The President of the Senate and | | | | his retirement from Congress in 2006, |
| Speaker of the House, by rule, may extend the | | | | creating one of the few open seats in the |
| session up to seven additional days. | | | | nation in Arizona's Congressional District 8. |
| Thereafter, the session can only be extended | | | | Arizona gained two seats in the House of |
| by a majority vote of members present of each | | | | Representatives due to redistricting based on |
| house. | | | | Census 2000. |
| | | | |