Washington is governed under the state constitution through three coequal branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The **executive branch** is led by the governor and a number of independently elected statewide officials. The **legislative branch** is the Washington State Legislature, a bicameral body composed of the State Senate and House of Representatives. The **judicial branch** is headed by the Washington Supreme Court.
The state capital is **Olympia**, where the legislature meets and most central state agencies are headquartered. Washington is divided into **39 counties**, along with cities, towns, school districts, port districts, and other special-purpose local governments. Counties and cities handle many local services such as policing, courts, planning, and public health in coordination with the state.
Washington sends **two U.S. senators** and a number of **U.S. representatives** based on congressional apportionment. Representation in the state legislature is organized by legislative districts. Politically, the state often shows a strong urban-rural divide: the Puget Sound region tends to vote differently from many inland rural counties, while suburban areas can be more mixed.
Public services provided or overseen by the state include:
- K-12 public education and higher education support - State highways and transportation planning - Public health, Medicaid administration, and behavioral health programs - Natural resource management and environmental regulation - Corrections, courts, and statewide law enforcement functions - Elections administration and business regulation
The current officeholders change over time, so the most reliable source for current leadership is the official Washington state government portal.