ABSTRACT
County governments, historically, have served as the bedrock for local government in the United States and, therefore, have been the principal vehicle through which the states have been able to deliver, basically, state services at the local level. This entry seeks to capture the rich tradition of counties as instruments of local governance and, to that end, is divided into four major parts. First, it traces the historical, constitutional, and practical development of counties and how they have stood the test of time. Second, it provides an overview of the structure of county government (i.e., commission, commission-appointed administrator, and commission-elected executive), the role of “row officers,” and the movement toward home rule. Third, it includes a synopsis of the types of services (i.e., traditional, municipal type, and regional) that counties provide. Finally, the entry examines the possibility for counties to move into a relatively new role where they are in the forefront in response to the local government service challenges that accompany the New Normal.
