The Politics Beneath the Headlines

When people think of government, they often picture presidents and Congress. Yet the institutions that most directly affect daily life are frequently local: police and fire departments, schools, roads, sanitation systems, housing rules, and public transportation.

A Nation of Jurisdictions

In 2022, the United States had 90,837 local governments. They included counties, municipalities, townships, school districts, and other special districts.

Counties vary enormously. In some states they mainly serve as judicial districts; elsewhere they manage housing, education, transportation, recreation, welfare programs, elections, and roads. Louisiana calls its county equivalents parishes, while Alaska uses boroughs.

Municipalities govern population centers. Their structures may feature an elected mayor and council, a commission combining legislative and executive roles, or a council that hires a professional city manager.

The Manager Versus the Mayor

Under the council-manager model, elected officials set policy while a trained administrator runs city departments and prepares the budget. The manager remains in office as long as the council supports the performance.

The mayor-council system is more familiar: the mayor leads the executive branch, appoints department heads, prepares the budget, and may veto local laws. Commission governments place legislative and executive authority in a small elected group.

Invisible Government

Some areas are unincorporated and have no municipal government below the county level. Special districts may exist for a single purpose, such as education, water, or another designated service.

Local politics is often officially nonpartisan, with activists setting aside party labels while campaigning. But local decisions can have immediate consequences. The politics of daily life may not look dramatic—but it is where government becomes tangible.