n the United States, there are three levels of government: national (federal), state and local. At each level, there are three branches. These three branches are: the Legislative Branch (makes the laws), the Executive Branch (enforces the laws) and the Judicial Branch (interprets the laws). Each level of government is controlled by a constitution and/or a formal body of law, which can only be changed by the will of the people. This control is what is meant when people use the term "The Rule of Law".

To understand how the local government in Albemarle County operates, a short description of the other levels will help. Unlike many other countries, the United States has a system of government that is much less centralized in the federal government. The states and localities have a much greater impact on the everyday life of citizens than the federal government does. Therefore, it is easier to participate in the local government and bring about necessary changes.

The United States is a "Federal System." This means that the power to govern is divided between the national government in Washington, DC and the states. The U.S. government can only pass laws that are authorized in the U.S. Constitution. All other governmental responsibilities are given to the states and their subdivisions (localities). For example, the U.S. Constitution says that the federal government should be responsible for the monetary system, matters of foreign affairs and regulation of commerce between the states. But it says nothing about public school systems, police and fire protection, etc. Therefore, those areas are left to the states and the local communities.

Individual states are given the power to pass any law that is not prohibited by the U.S. Constitution. In areas where both have the power to pass laws, state law cannot conflict with federal law. Often, both the federal and the state governments offer services to help people or protect the environment. But it is important to remember that no state law can go against the U.S. Constitution.

Finally, local governments are organized similarly to the federal and state levels and they have the same three branches of government. But they do not have constitutions like the federal and state governments do. They have a charter, or plan, from the state. There are different types of local governments, such as city, county, village, etc. Charlottesville is an independent jurisdiction, surrounded by Albemarle County. The County has one incorporated town, Scottsville, which lies within Albemarle County.

It is important for you to know exactly where you live. Although most people have a Charlottesville mailing address, the probability is that most of them live in Albemarle County. The city of Charlottesville is only 10 square miles, whereas the County of Albemarle is 726 square miles. Where you live determines where your children go to school, what taxes you pay, etc. If you are unsure about your exact address, a good website with links to maps and other helpful information is http://avenue.org.

The Organization of Government

	Federal	State	Local
Executive	President, Vice President, Cabinet	Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Cabinet	Mayor / Chariman of the Board of Supervisors
Legislative	Congress: Senate, House of Representatives	General Assembly: Senate, House of Delegates	City Council (Charlottesville) Board of Supervisors (Albemarle County)
Judicial	Supreme Court, Federal Courts	State Supreme Court, State Courts	District Court, Circuit Court, Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court