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The governmental organization of counties is established in several different, and sometimes unlikely, places. The most detail, notably, is provided in Article V on the judicial department. Here the Texas Constitution identifies the central institutions for county administration: county courts and the county commissioners court. Articles VIII (Taxation and Revenue) and Article XVI (General Provisions) provide for additional county administrative offices.
- County court and a county judge in each county
"There shall be established in each county in this State a County Court, which shall be a court of record; and there shall be elected in each county, by the qualified voters, a county judge, ..." (Article V, Section 15)
- County precincts, justices of the peace and county constables
"Each organized county in the State now or hereafter existing, shall be divided from time to time, for the convenience of the people, into precincts, not less than four and not more than eight. The present County Courts shall make the first division.... In each such precinct there shall be elected at each biennial election, one justice of the peace and one constable, ..." (Article V, Section 18)
- County Commissioner's Court and executive administration
"Each county shall... be divided into four commissioners' precincts, in each of which there shall be elected by the qualified voters thereof one county commissioner, who shall hold his office for two years and until his successor shall be elected and qualified. The county commissioners so chosen, with the county judge, as presiding officer, shall compose the County Commissioners' Court, which shall exercise such powers and jurisdiction over all county business..." (Article V, Section 18)
- County clerk, county attorney, district attorney and sheriff
The creation of several offices are required: county clerk, county attorney, district attorney and county sheriff and specify their terms of office (Article V, Sections 20, 21 and 23)
- County tax assessor
"There shall be elected by the qualified electors of each county, at the same time and under the same law regulating the election of State and county officers, an assessor of taxes, ..." (Article VIII, Section 14)
- County tax collector
"The sheriff of each county, in addition to his other duties, shall be the collector of taxes therefor. But in counties having ten thousand inhabitants, to be determined by the last preceding census of the United States, a collector of taxes shall be elected..." (Article VIII, Section 16)
- County treasurer and county surveyor
"The Legislature shall prescribe the duties and provide for the election by the qualified voters of each county in this State, of a county treasurer and a county surveyor, who shall have an office at the county seat, ..." (Article XVI, Section 44)
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