Arizona Constitution Practice Test

Which governmental body has the authority to impeach officials?

1. House of Representatives

2. Senate

3. Supreme Court

4. Governor

The correct answer is: House of Representatives

The House of Representatives holds the authority to impeach officials, as established by the Arizona Constitution. This power is modeled after the federal system, where the House is responsible for bringing charges against a public official. Impeachment serves as a mechanism for the legislative body to address misconduct or violations of public trust by members of the executive or judicial branches. During the impeachment process, the House investigates the allegations and, if they find sufficient grounds, votes on articles of impeachment. If the majority votes in favor, the official is impeached, meaning they are formally charged. This does not remove the official from office; rather, it initiates a trial in the Senate. The Senate then has the responsibility to conduct that trial and make a determination on whether to convict and remove the official from office. In contrast, the role of the Senate in this process is one of trial and deliberation, not initiation, which is why they do not have the authority to impeach. The other options, including the Supreme Court and the Governor, do not possess direct powers related to the impeachment process under the state's constitution. The Supreme Court serves a different function within the judicial branch, and the Governor's role does not extend to impeaching officials.