1. Counties II
GOVT 2305, Module 11

2. Executive functions are divided among a large number of elected and appointed officials.
organization

3. Commissioners Court
The commissioners court is the board of directors for county government. It is composed of four county commissioners and the county judge.

4. County Judge
The county judge presides in commissioners court but has only one vote and no veto. He or she is the most visible county official, but has no authority to manage county government.
Ed Emmett, Republican—Harris County Judge

5. Precincts
County commissioners are elected from big districts called precincts in partisan elections to serve four-year terms.

6. COMMISSIONERS
You can hire your friends and campaign supporters to do the work.
Individual commissioners essentially run county government within their precincts. They oversee road repair and construction in their precincts. They control large road budgets and pick contractors to do county work. Meanwhile, they hire their own crews to do routine maintenance on county roads and in county facilities, such as parks and recreation centers.
Commissioner Steve Radack
Why is this a big deal?

7. sheriff Sheriff Ron Hickman, Republican
The sheriff is the chief law enforcement official for the county. The sheriff operates the county jail. The sheriff assists county courts and district courts by serving arrest warrants and subpoenas, as well as providing deputies to serve as bailiffs.
Sheriff Ron Hickman, Republican

8. District Attorney
The district attorney's office prosecutes felony criminal cases in state district courts.
District Attorney Devon Anderson, Republican

9. County Attorney County Attorney Vince Ryan, Democrat
The county attorney advises commissioners court and other county officials on legal issues and represents the county in court, mostly lawsuits to collect delinquent property taxes. The county attorney's office also prosecutes misdemeanor cases in JP and county court, except in Harris County, where the district attorney prosecutes both felony and misdemeanor cases.
County Attorney Vince Ryan, Democrat

10. County Clerk Harris County Clerk, Republican Stan Stanart
The county clerk records legal documents, such as deeds, mortgages, and contracts, and keeps vital statistics on births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. The county clerk is also the county election official.
Harris County Clerk, Republican Stan Stanart

11. District Clerk Harris County District Clerk Chris Daniel
The district clerk maintains legal records for the district courts. The district clerk also manages jury duty to support the various county and district courts.
Harris County District Clerk Chris Daniel

12. Justices of the Peace
Justices of the peace (JPs) try minor criminal cases and hear small claims civil suits. The number of JPs in a county depends on its population.

13. Constables
Each county elects as many constables as it has justices of the peace. Constables assist the JP court(s) by serving legal papers, such as subpoenas and warrants. Constables also handle evictions, execute judgments, and provide bailiffs for the justice courts.

14. Tax Assessor-Collector
The tax assessor collects the county's property taxes, collects fees for automobile license plates, and issues certificates-of-title for motor vehicles. In most counties, the tax assessor-collector also directs voter registration.
Republican Mike Sullivan is the tax assessor.

15. County Treasurer
The county treasurer is responsible for receiving funds and making authorized expenditures.
Orlando Sanchez, Republican, Treasurer

16. County Dept. Of Education
Historically, county departments of education coordinated relations among the common school districts within the county. Common school districts have now been replaced by independent school districts and most county boards of education have been eliminated.

17. Quiz Which county official registers voters? County clerk
District clerk
Tax assessor
County attorney
The answer is C.

18. What You Have Learned How is county government organized?
Which officials compose the commissioners court?
Who are the elected officials of county government and what services do each of them provide?