Amendment Text | Annotations
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
"Reserved powers" refers to powers that are not outright granted to the federal government by the Constitution. The Tenth Amendment grants these powers to the states.
Reserved powers include running elections, creating marriage laws, and regulating schools.
The Tenth Amendment states that any powers not specifically given to the federal government are "reserved" for state governments.
Reserving powers for state governments helps maintain a balance of power between the states and the federal government. They also allow states the freedom to try out different ideas and programs, which is why states are sometimes called "laboratories of democracy."