County Government

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.

Smith County Commissioners

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.

Smith County Elected Officials

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 committee 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 section.

Smith County Departments

The various Departments within Smith County serve additional functions, such as Human Resources, 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.