Washington Government and Economy

According to Abbreviationfinder, Washington has huge coniferous forests, which have earned it the nickname The Evergreen State (evergreen state, or evergreen state). These forests make Washington a leader in the American lumber industry. Washington is cut by several rivers and dotted with several lakes, creating a favorable terrain for the installation of dams. Here is the largest in the country, the Grand Coulee Dam, on the Columbia River. The state is made up of 307 cities that are grouped into 39 counties ^{[4] [5]} . It contains an area of ​​184,666 km ² with a population of 6,882,400 residents registered in April 2013. Its governor has been Democrat Jay Inslee since 2012, the twenty-third to hold this position

Government

Existing powers

The government of the state of Washington has a division of powers: executive, legislative and judicial.

• The chief executive branch official in Washington is the governor. He is chosen by the population through state elections, for a term of up to four years, and he can run for office as many times as he wants. The state governor has the power to elect more than 350 different officers. Since 2012, the current governor of Washington is Democrat Jay Inslee, the twenty-third to hold this position ^[1] .
• The Legislative Branch of Washington is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is made up of 49 senators, while the House of Representatives has 98 representatives. Senators have a term of up to four years, while the term of the representatives’ term is a maximum of two years. Both senators and representatives can stand for reelection as many times as they wish.
• The highest court in the Washington Judiciary is the Washington Supreme Court. The nine judges of this court are elected by the population of the state for a term of up to six years. Elections for Supreme Court posts are held every three years, in which three judges are elected. The second largest court in the state is the Court of Appeals of Washington, which consists of 22 judges, elected by the population of the state for a term of up to six years. No judge can stand for reelection in a given judicial court.

Constitution

The current Washington Constitution came into effect in 1889, created prior to the elevation of Washington to the status of a state. The Legislative Branch of Washington can propose amendments to the Constitution, and to be approved, they need to receive at least two-thirds of the votes of the Senate and the State House of Representatives, and then another two-thirds of the votes of the electorate of Washington, through a referendum. Amendments can also be made through constitutional conventions, which are special political meetings. Amendments made in this way need to be approved by at least 51% of each Chamber of the Legislative Power, and then by at least 60% of the state’s electoral population, in a referendum.

This Constitution reflects the state’s membership of the United States through Section 1:

SECTION 2 SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND . The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land.
SECTION 2 SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND. The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land.

Administrative division

Counties that make up the State of Washington.

According to CountryAAH.com, the state of Washington is divided into 39 counties in which are the 307 cities that make up the state. Most of these 39 counties are governed by a 3-member council. Any city with more than 20,000 residents is free to choose its form of municipal government. Senior officials of the government of each of the counties make up the Association of Counties officials Washington (in English: Washington Association of County Officials, WACO), these officials may be elected county assessors, auditors, clerks, coroners and medical examiners, prosecutorial attorneys, sheriffs, treasurers, and other officials designated by each county. WACO is a non-profit, non-partisan organization.

The counties that make up the state are:

• Adams
• Asotin
• Benton
• Chelan
• Clallam
• Clark
• Columbia
• Cowlitz
• Douglas
• Ferry
• Franklin
• Garfield
• Grant
• Grays harbor
• Island
• Jefferson
• King
• Kitsap
• Kittitas
• Klickitat
• Lewis
• Lincoln
• Mason
• Okanogan
• Pacific
• Pend Oreille
• Pierce
• San Juan
• Skagit
• Skamani
• Snohomish
• Spokane
• Stevens
• Thurston
• Wahkiakum
• Walla walla
• Whatcom
• Whitman
• Yakima

Economy

Main entrance to Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

Washington is a prominent agricultural state. The most important agricultural crop is corn; They are also important the hay, hops, potatoes, sugar beet, peas and flower bulbs. Washington, the nation’s leading apple producer, is also famous for its cherries, plums, grapes, pears, and blueberries. Livestock products (milk and derivatives, beef and sheep meat) contribute more than a third of the annual agricultural income. The forest industry is the most important in the state; the main commercial species are Douglas firand hemlock. The fishing industry is significant. In value, salmon contributes a third of the catch, followed by oysters, crabs, shrimp and other shellfish.

The most prominent industries are those in charge of manufacturing transport equipment, wood and derived products, such as paper, food products, industrial machinery, primary metals, printing materials and precision instruments. Washington’s economy is primarily focused on tourism and the aerospace industry.

The major industrialized products made in Washington are airplanes, ships, software, electronics, processed foods, and paper and wood products. The Boeing, the largest aircraft construction world, is headquartered in the state (in Seattle) and its main factories. Microsoft, Amazon.com, and Nintendo America are also headquartered in Washington.