What You Do
There are approximately 37,984 elected county executives/commissioners and board members serving 3,069 county governments in the US. In general, County Commissioners (also known as County Councilmembers) are responsible for administering the county government in some states in the U.S. Texas has the most counties with 254, Hawaii and Delaware each have three. Connecticut and Rhode Island are themselves both a county and state.
“The only qualification you need to run for office is that you love your community.”
Bethany Hallam
Allegheny County (PA) Councilmember, At-Large
Responsibilities
County Commissioners oversee the management and administration of an entire county representing the county’s interests at the state and federal government. They manage large county budgets and staff. Many of the country's counties are larger in land mass and population than congressional districts, making the administrative duties vast and complicated. Everything from bridges to welfare and zoos may be involved and often the commissioner oversees large numbers of specialists along with staff.
Helpful Skills
County commissioners must be devoted to and rooted in their community. Knowledge about the struggles and challenges confronting the constituency is helpful. Experience managing budgets and people is helpful. Solid communication skills and the ability to speak in public is essential. People of all backgrounds are serving as county commissioners: teachers, retired law enforcement, farmers, business leaders, and community activists.
-
Salary and HoursDepending on the jurisdiction city/town councils meet every other week, or one time per month. You can view a sample council meeting agenda here. Often, members will serve in sub committees in addition to the council at large. In many cities and towns council members are reimbursed for travel, or they receive a salary for their service. Salaries on the low end are approximately $10,000 and the high end at $320,000. Some jurisdictions offer benefits like health care insurance and pensions. The staff supporting city/ town councils usually includes an attorney and at least one clerk and secretary. The president of the city council in larger jurisdictions may have their own Chief of Staff. Like their legislative counterparts, city/town councilors work hard, often spending their time away from the council chamber in the community meeting with or serving constituents.
-
Sample CampaignA campaign for city council in Nebraska will look vastly different than a campaign in New York. The cost of campaigns is directly proportional to the size of the voting population: more people equals more money, smaller population equals more canvassing and person to person communication. Targeted communication, an essential component of a winning campaign, requires money for postage and other forms of paid media. Candidates don’t need millions – increasingly cities and towns are building public funding mechanisms for local campaigns – but every candidate will need the resources to communicate with the voters that can get them elected. Starting as early as 18 months out from an election will be super helpful in affording the time a candidate needs to build a winning campaign structure. Most local races are run and won with part time campaigns, and volunteer staff.
-
Requirements to RunTypical requirements include: Be 18 years of age at the start of the term. Be a resident of the district that the individual is running to represent. Be a US citizen. Be free of felony convictions. Mentally capable to serve (not to have been determined mentally incapacitated by a court of law). Legal requirements to seek and serve on a city/town council vary by jurisdiction. Most places require that the candidate live in the district they seek to serve, either before the election or shortly after. Candidates must almost universally be registered to vote in the district. There are no particular education requirements.