Government
Vermont's State House is in Montpelier, the capital since 1805.Vermont is governed under a constitution adopted in 1793 and amended several times. The state's first constitution (1777) was unusual for its day. It prohibited slavery and provided for the right of all adult male citizens to vote, regardless of race, religion, or property ownership.
The executive branch of government consists of a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, and attorney general, all elected to two-year terms. The General Assembly, composed of a 30-member senate and a 150-member house of representatives, has legislative power. Members are elected to serve two-year terms. The Assembly is required to convene in odd-numbered years but usually has annual sessions.
The judiciary is composed of a supreme court of five justices, superior courts, district courts, and various lower courts. Supreme court justices and judges of the superior and district courts are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate; other judges are elected.
Vermont is divided into 14 counties. On the local level, there are county, city, and town governments. (A town is not a municipality but a subdivision of a county.) A special feature of town government is the annual town meeting, where citizens participate directly in the legislative process. The state sends one representative and two senators to the U.S. Congress.
