State Representative

More than a series of decorative shapes on a map, the 50 states are a lot like the apartments in an apartment building: Because they’re all part of a single building, they have shared interests, property, and costs; and yet, each is its own individual unit with its own tenants who have their own space and their own expenses. Although the states are united as part of the same republic, therefore, each also has its own residents and rules — and its own government, too.

A State Representative is part of that government, which, like the federal government, has three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Part of the legislative branch, along with State Senators, State Representatives are elected for two-year terms by voters in their city or county to represent them in a state’s House of Representatives.

Once you’re elected State Representative, your primary duties are to create and vote on bills that make new laws or modify and update old ones. To do that, you typically serve on committees that legislatively address issues such as education, taxes, transportation, commerce, infrastructure, and health care, just to name a few.

When you’re not making laws, you’re meeting with Lobbyists and special interest groups that want you to advocate on their behalf, raising money for your political party, campaigning for election or reelection, and serving as a Spokesperson in your community, giving speeches, attending ribbon-cutting ceremonies, etc.

An employee of the people, your job in a nutshell is to make life in your state better for the people who live there.