Snow rarely falls until mid-December with an average snowfall of 60 to 90 inches. Snowfall is greater in the northern inland sections. Maine s government, like that of the United States, has three branches-Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. The Legislature meets in regular session for a prescribed time each year. The Legislature may be convened at other times by the Governor and may also be convened on the call of the presiding officers of both branches with the consent of a majority of the members of the Legislature of each political party.
Parliamentary procedure resembles that in use throughout the country.
Maine is one of three states in the Union to use the joint standing committee system. The offices of Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Treasurer of State are created by the Constitution of Maine. The Governor with chief executive powers is popularly elected at the general election and is limited to two consecutive four-year terms of office. The Secretary of State, Treasurer of State and Attorney General are each elected to two-year terms by joint ballot of the State Senators and Representatives in convention. The court system operates on three levels the first being the Supreme Judicial Court and the second being the Superior Court.