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Government of Harris County, Texas
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| Seat: Houston |
| Population (2020): 4,731,145 |
| County Commissioners: 5 |
| County Website: Official website |
The county government of Harris County is located in Houston, Texas. The county, originally called Harrisburg County, was first established in 1836. The name was changed to Harris County in 1839. It covers a total of 1,777 square miles on the upper Gulf Coast in the southeastern part of Texas.[1]
Elections
2025
Harris County, Texas, is holding general elections for community college board of trustees on November 4, 2025. The filing deadline for this election was August 18, 2025.
2024
Harris County, Texas, held general elections for county attorney, district attorney, sheriff, tax assessor-collector, county commission, community college district, constables, county department of education, emergency services district board, water control and improvement district board, regional water authority district board, county criminal court at law judges, district court judges, justices of the peace, and probate court judge on November 5, 2024. A general runoff was scheduled for December 14, 2024. A primary was scheduled for March 5, 2024. A primary runoff was scheduled for May 28, 2024. If no candidates win a majority of the votes in the primary elections, the two candidates with the most votes advance to a primary runoff. The filing deadline for this election was December 11, 2023. The filing deadline for the water districts was August 19, 2024.
Three seats for the Harris Central Appraisal District were up for election on May 4, 2024. A general runoff was scheduled for June 15, 2024. If no candidates win a majority of the votes in the primary elections, the two candidates with the most votes advance to a primary runoff. The filing deadline was February 16, 2024.
2023
Harris County, Texas, held general elections for community college board of trustees on November 7, 2023. A general runoff election was scheduled for December 9, 2023. The filing deadline for this election was August 21, 2023.
2022
Harris County, Texas, held general elections for county clerk, district clerk, treasurer, county commission, county department of education, water control and improvement district board, regional water authority district board, county civil court at law judges, county criminal court at law judges, district courts judges, court judge, probate court judges, and justices of the peace on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for March 1, 2022. A primary runoff, if needed, was scheduled for May 24, 2022. The filing deadline for this election was December 13, 2021. The filing deadline for the water districts was August 22, 2022. A general election for Harris County Emergency Services District 9 was held on May 7, 2022.
2021
Harris County, Texas, held general elections for Houston Community College board of trustees on November 2, 2021. The filing deadline for this election was August 16, 2021.
2020
Harris County, Texas, held general elections for sheriff, county court at law, county attorney, tax assessor-collector, commissioners, justice of the peace, constable, emergency services district board, water control and improvement district board, and regional water authority district board on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for March 3, 2020. The filing deadline for this election was December 9, 2019. The filing deadline for the water districts was August 17, 2020.
2019
Harris County, Texas, held general elections for Houston Community College Board of Trustees on November 5, 2019. If a runoff election was necessary, it was held on December 14, 2019. The deadline for candidates to file to run in this election was August 19, 2019.
2018
Harris County, Texas, held general elections for county commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, board of education trustees, water control and improvement district board, and regional water authority district board on November 6, 2018. If a race had multiple candidates for a party nomination, a primary was held on March 6, 2018.
An election for Harris County Emergency Services District 9 was held on May 5, 2018.
2017
Harris County held elections for three members of the Houston Community College Board of Trustees in 2017. The general election was held on November 7, 2017. The filing deadline for those wishing to run in this election was August 21, 2017.[2]
2016
Harris County held elections for county commission, justices of the peace, constables, district attorney, county attorney, sheriff, county tax assessor-collector, and the Harris County Department of Education in 2016. The general election was held on November 8, 2016. A primary election was held on March 1, and a primary runoff took place on May 24. The filing deadline for those wishing to run in this election was December 14, 2015.[3]
Elected officials
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If any officeholder information below is no longer accurate, please contact us with any updates. |
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Commissioners court
- See also: County commission
The commissioners court functions as the county's primary legislative and policy-making body. Most boards also control county land usage, oversee environmental issues and possess executive powers, meaning they have the authority to appoint or remove departmental heads. The Harris County Commissioners Court is made up of the county judge, who serves as the county's chief executive officer, and four commissioners. The judge is elected county-wide and the commissioners are elected by district.[4]
The table below provides information on each of the commissioners:
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County Commissioners Court Precinct 1 | Rodney Ellis | January 1, 2017 |
| Harris County Commissioners Court Precinct 2 | Adrian Garcia | January 1, 2019 |
| Harris County Commissioners Court Precinct 3 | Tom Ramsey | January 1, 2021 |
| Harris County Commissioners Court Precinct 4 | Lesley Briones | January 1, 2023 |
| Harris County Judge | Lina Hidalgo | January 1, 2019 |
The widget below automatically displays information about their meetings. The topic list contains a sampling of keywords that Voterheads, a local government monitoring service, found in each meeting agenda. Click the meeting link to see more info and the full agenda:
Appraisal district
The Harris Central Appraisal District is served by six members appointed by the governing bodies of eligible taxing units participating in the appraisal district and three members elected at large in a general election. If the county tax assessor-collector is not appointed to the board they serve as an ex-officio member.[5] The role of board members includes hiring a chief appraiser, appointing the Appraisal Review Board, setting the district's budget, and approving contracts. The board of directors have no authority to set values or appraisal methods.[6]
The table below provides information on each of the board members:
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Harris Central Appraisal District | Cassandra Bandy | |
| Harris Central Appraisal District | Martina Lemond Dixon | |
| Harris Central Appraisal District | Melissa Noriega | January 1, 2025 |
| Harris Central Appraisal District | Jim Robinson | |
| Harris Central Appraisal District | Mike Sullivan | |
| Harris Central Appraisal District, Place 1 | Katherine Blueford-Daniels | July 1, 2024 |
| Harris Central Appraisal District, Place 2 | Kyle Scott | July 1, 2024 |
| Harris Central Appraisal District, Place 3 | Ericka McCrutcheon | July 1, 2024 |
| Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector | Annette Ramirez | January 1, 2025 |
Constables
Harris County is served by eight constables who are elected by district to four-year terms. A constable is "an authorized peace officer and is the chief process server of the justice court."[7]
The table below provides information on each of the constables:
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County Constable Precinct 1 | Alan Rosen | 2013 |
| Harris County Constable Precinct 2 | Jerry Garcia | January 1, 2021 |
| Harris County Constable Precinct 3 | Sherman Eagleton | 2017 |
| Harris County Constable Precinct 4 | Mark Herman | 2015 |
| Harris County Constable Precinct 5 | Terry Allbritton | January 1, 2025 |
| Harris County Constable Precinct 6 | Silvia Trevino | 2017 |
| Harris County Constable Precinct 7 | James Phillips | January 1, 2025 |
| Harris County Constable Precinct 8 | Phil Sandlin | June 1, 2011 |
Other elected officials
Harris County residents also elect the following public officials:
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County Attorney | Christian Menefee | January 1, 2021 |
| Harris County Clerk | Teneshia Hudspeth | January 1, 2021 |
| Harris County District Attorney | Sean Teare | January 1, 2025 |
| Harris County District Clerk | Marilyn Burgess | January 1, 2019 |
| Harris County Sheriff | Ed Gonzalez | 2017 |
| Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector | Annette Ramirez | January 1, 2025 |
| Harris County Treasurer | Carla Wyatt | January 1, 2023 |
Special districts
- See also: Special districts
Special districts are a form of local government that exist to fulfill a specific purpose within a certain geographic area. This region can be as large as a county or smaller than a city block. Special districts have the power to tax their local residents in order to fund operational expenditures. Although a special district may be formed for any stated purpose, the most common examples include library, hospital, transportation, airport, utility, conservation, sanitation, fire control, and flood control districts.
Harris County Department of Education
The Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) Board of Trustees is composed of seven members who are elected to six-year terms. Three members are elected at large, while four are elected by district.[8] According to HCDE's website, its mission is to support the county "by enriching educational opportunities and providing value through services."[9]
The HCDE is not a school district, but provides services to students and educators in Harris County. To learn about the Houston Independent School District, click here.
The table below provides information on each of the trustees:
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large | Richard Cantu | January 1, 2019 |
| Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 5, At-Large | Erica Davis | January 1, 2021 |
| Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 6, Precinct 1 | John McGee | November 29, 2023 |
| Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 7, At-Large | David Brown | January 1, 2021 |
| Harris County Department of Education Position 1, Precinct 2 | Amy Flores Hinojosa | 2019 |
| Harris County Department of Education Position 2, Precinct 4 | Andrea Duhon | January 1, 2023 |
| Harris County Department of Education Position 4, Precinct 3 | Eric Dick | January 1, 2023 |
Houston Community College
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District I | Monica Richart | January 8, 2020 |
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District II | Renee Jefferson Patterson | February 5, 2025 |
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District III | Adriana Tamez | 2014 |
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District IV | Laolu Davies-Yemitan | January 1, 2024 |
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District IX | Pretta VanDible Stallworth | January 1, 2018 |
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District V | Sean Cheben | January 1, 2024 |
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District VI | Dave Wilson | December 31, 2021 |
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District VII | Cynthia Lenton-Gary | January 8, 2020 |
| Houston Community College Board of Trustees District VIII | Eva Loredo | 2010 |
Lone Star College
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 1 | Michael Stoma | January 1, 2019 |
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 2 | Daniel Meza | November 21, 2024 |
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 3 | Iesheia Ayers-Wilson | November 3, 2020 |
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 4 | Art Murillo | November 4, 2014 |
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 5 | David Vogt | 1997 |
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 6 | Myriam Saldivar | 2016 |
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 7 | Rebecca Broussard | November 22, 2022 |
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 8 | Mike Sullivan | January 1, 2019 |
| Lone Star College Board of Trustees District 9 | Jim Cain | November 3, 2020 |
Harris County Emergency Services District 9
Harris County Water Control and Improvement District 89
North Harris County Regional Water Authority District
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Harris County Texas. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Harris County, Texas | Texas | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Harris County," accessed August 31, 2016
- ↑ Houston Community College, "Houston Community College Trustee Elections 2017," accessed July 23, 2017
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed September 1, 2016
- ↑ Harris County Judge, "About Harris County," accessed August 31, 2016
- ↑ statutes.capitol.texas.gov, "TAX CODE CHAPTER 6. LOCAL ADMINISTRATION," accessed May 8, 2024
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Texans get their first crack at electing the people overseeing the state’s complicated property appraisal process," May 3, 2024
- ↑ Texas Association of Counties, "Guide to Texas Laws for County Officials," 2016
- ↑ Harris County Department of Education, "Board of Trustees," accessed August 31, 2016
- ↑ Harris County Department of Education, "Missions and Goals," accessed August 31, 2016
