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Smith County Government
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The structure of Smith County government, like all other 254 counties in Texas, is spelled out
in the Texas Constitution, which makes counties functional agents of the state. Although the
commissioners court is the main governing body that conducts the general business of the county
and oversees financial matters, the Texas Constitution established a strong system of checks
and balances by creating other elective offices in each county, as well as the establishment of
other departments to serve various functional roles in maintaining county services.
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Smith County Commissioners:
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The
Smith County Commissioners Court
consists of a County Judge elected by registered voters of Smith County, and four
Commissioners elected by their respective precincts.
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Smith County Elected Officials:
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In addition to the Commissioner's Court, there are a number of other
Elected Officials
who serve the county by conducting maintaining public records, collecting
property taxes, and issuing vehicle registrations and transfers.
Increasingly, county elected officials are playing a vital role in the economic
development of our local area.
The major Elected Officials found in Smith County include the County and District Clerks, Treasurer, and Tax Assessor-Collector.
In addition, law enforcement officials such as the
District Attorney,
Sheriff, and Constables serve as elected officials. The courts include
Court Judges who are elected by citizens of Smith County
such as the District Court Judges, the County Court Judge and County at Law Judges, and
Justices of the Peace. Some counties in Texas elect officials to conduct elections and register voters, but in Smith
County the office of Elections/Voter Registration is technically governed by a committe composed of the County Judge,
The Commissioner's Court, the Tax Assessor, and representatives from the Republican Party and Democratic Party.
As a result, the Elections/Voter Registration information is found under the Departmental sestion.
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Smith County Departments:
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The various
Departments
within Smith County serve additional functions, such as Personnel, Information Technology,
Purchasing, Roads and Bridges, Veterans Services, and Collections. As part of the various checks and balances, the county
has an Auditor appointed by the district courts.
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