Civic primers
Learn
Plain-language, non-partisan explainers on how American government actually works — the machinery behind the names, votes, and dollars CivicGate tracks. Start with the overview, or jump to a topic.
Government basics
- How our government works The three branches, the House & Senate, elections, how a bill becomes law, committees, and how money flows
- Founding documents Constitution Amendments Bill of Rights
- State constitutions Every state's own charter — older, longer, and amended far more often than the federal one
Elections & representation
- How districting works The census, apportionment, redistricting, who draws the maps, and what gerrymandering means
- The Electoral College Electors, 270 to win, winner-take-all, and why the popular-vote winner can lose
- Presidential term limits Washington's two-term tradition, FDR's four terms, and the 22nd Amendment that made it law
- Ballot measures Initiatives, referendums & recalls — how citizens legislate directly
- Party unity & vote alignment What a party-unity vote is, how the score is computed, and cross-party voting
- Who runs elections The decentralized system — chief election officials, directors, and ~10,000 local jurisdictions
Money & influence
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