Trial Courts
Trial courts, also known as “courts of first instance,” are local courts where legal cases begin. They are the first stop in the judicial system when someone has a problem or dispute. Trial courts hear evidence, listen to witnesses, and decide on the outcome of the case. These courts handle various types of cases, such…
District Attorneys
District Attorneys are elected or appointed officials who serves as the chief prosecutor at the county or district level. Their primary role is to represent their state or government in court, with responsibilities including investigating crimes, making decisions around what crimes their office will prioritize charging, deciding on charges and recommend sentences, negotiating plea bargain…
Planning and Zoning Commissions
A planing and zoning commission decides how land is used and what can be built where in a city. Land can be “zoned” as residential, commercial or industrial, which greatly impacts how cities grow and develop. These commissions play a critical role in towns and cities that are currently facing housing shortages.
School Board
Elected school board members in a community are responsible for overseeing the local public school district. They play a key role in shaping education policies, approving budgets, hiring superintendents and staff, and ensuring the district operates properly and that students are given all the resources necessary to learn.
County Clerk
County or City clerks distribute birth, marriage and death certificates and other business records and licenses, while also overseeing how elections are run in their county or city. The clerk’s office prints and mails ballots, sets up ballot drop box locations and early voting locations, and ensures that polling places operate smoothly on Election Day….
Comptroller
A comptroller is your town or city’s top accountant! They oversee issues such as keeping the city’s books balanced, auditing aspects of the city’s spending, making decisions about the city’s employee pension plans and assisting in budgeting questions other elected officials in the city may have. They ensure that a city’s financial records are accurate…
Sheriff
The precise role of elected sheriffs varies depending on the town or city they are elected in; Some common duties, however, include overseeing county jails, transporting prisoners and pretrial detainees, investigating crimes and sometimes even acting as coroners.
Council Member
A council member is a person who is elected by voters in their community to represent them and make decisions about local issues. They are part of a group called the city council (most city councils are between 6-30 members). Council members listen to the ideas and concerns of the people who live in their…
Mayor
Mayors are elected to be in charge of a city or town. They are the leaders of their local government. They work with other elected officials such as council members and city employees to prioritize projects within their city, setting legislative goals to advance their community through legislation and ordinances.