Austin City Council Member

Each city council member represents residents living in one of 10 districts. Working with the mayor as part of the council, each member does the following:

• oversees and decides on the city of Austin's budget, local taxes, amendment of laws, and creation of ordinances and policies

• serves a four-year term with a maximum of two terms

Austin Mayor

As the official head of the city, the mayor does the following:

• presides over and votes in city council meetings

• serves a four-year term with a maximum of two terms

Austin Community College (ACC) District Board of Trustees 

Working a part of the board, a member represents residents of the ACC taxing district and does the following:

• establishes policies that govern the educational programs

• provides high-level guidance and leadership to ensure the College meets the needs of the communities served

School District Board Trustees 

Working a part of the board, a member represents residents of the school district and does the following:

• employs the district superintendent

• approves the budget

• monitors expenditures

• sets the tax rate

• establishes policies for operating the district and ensuring its financial viability

• may call for a bond or tax rate election

Travis County Commissioners Court

• Consists of the county judge and four county commissioners. 
• Working as part of this group, a county commissioner does the following:
  • conducts the general business of the county
  • adopts the county’s budget and tax rate
  • approves all budgeted purchases of the county
  • fills vacancies in elective and appointive offices
  • sets all salaries and benefits
  • has exclusive authority to authorize contracts
  • provides and maintains all county buildings and facilities

Travis County Constables

• Constables serve as a law enforcement agency for Travis County.
• A constable does the following: 
  • enforces civil and criminal law
  • executes court orders
  • processes warrants
  • addresses truancy

Travis County Justices of the Peace

• Justices of the peace handle both civil and criminal cases,
• Including  small claims court, justice court, and administrative hearings, which are related to following:
  • debts
  • evictions
  • car accidents
  • unlawful towing
  • property 
  • traffic citations
  • bond hearings

Director Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) Board

• TCAD’s mission is to set fair and accurate property values

• Appraisal districts do not set tax rates.

• They only set the value of your property.

Primary Duties

• Hire the ChiefAppraiser.

• Approve the Appraisal District budget.

• As required by the new law, the TCAD Board appoints the Appraisal Review Board (ARB). Two of the three elected Directors must agree to the ARB appointments.

The Appraisal Review Board

• Hear protests regarding property valuations.

• Certify the appraisal roll in July so that local governmental entities – such as cities, hospital districts, school districts, junior colleges, and municipal utility districts can determine their tax rates based on the property valuations.

Sheriff

• Serves as a licensed peace officer
• Manages a staff that enforces criminal laws
• Manages and operates the county jail
• Provides security for the courts
• Serves warrants and civil papers

Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar

• Collects fees for a variety of state and local government agencies and registers voters
• Collects taxes for cities, schools and other local taxing entities.
• Processes motor vehicle title transfers.
• Issues motor vehicle registration and licenses.
• Process boat titles and registrations.
• Registers voters
• Collects various other fees for the state and county.

Travis County Clerk 

• Record keeper for the county
• Chief election officer
• Clerk and custodian of records for the:
  • Commissioners Court
  • Constitutional County Court
  • Statutory County Courts
• Acts as a recorder and custodian of public records, including:
  • all bonds
  • deeds
  • birth and death certificates
  • assumed names
  • livestock brands
• Issues marriage licenses
  

Travis County District Clerk

• Elected every 4 years 
• The record keeper for the county
• Records and secures all court records
• Manages jury selection
• Collects fees
• Handles court funds
• Processes passport applications

Travis County Treasurer 

• Provides for the safe keeping of all county funds
  Receives, accounts for, and disburses all money belonging to the county
• Is the paying agent/registrar for county registered bonds
• Processes cash bail bond checks as well as juror payments

Travis County - Probate Judge

• Probates the wills of deceased persons
• Declares the heirs of deceased persons who die without a will
• Establishes guardianship for incapacitated persons and minors
• Supervises court-ordered involuntary mental health commitments
• Administers all eminent domain cases initiated in Travis County 

Travis County - Civil District Judges 

• Preside over Civil cases:
  • divorce cases
  • Cases involving title to land
  • Election contest cases
  • Civil matters in which the amount of money or damages involved in $200 or more

Travis County - Criminal District Judges

• Preside over felony cases
• There are nine District Courts
• There is one District Magistrate Court dedicated to criminal matters

Travis County - Court-At-Law Judges

• Handle Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases (criminal courts)
• Hear bench trials and jury trials (civil courts)
• Serve on Travis County’s seven Criminal Courts and two Civil Courts

Justice of the Peace

• Hears traffic and other Class C misdemeanor cases punishable by fine only
• Hears civil cases with up to $20,000 in controversy
• Hears landlord and tenant disputes
• Hears truancy cases
• Performs magistrate duties
• Conducts inquests
• May perform marriage ceremonies

County Attorney 

• Works with law enforcement officers in the investigation of criminal cases.
• Provides legal advice to the Commissioners Court and to other elected officials.
• Brings civil enforcement actions on behalf of the state or county.
• Represents:
  • The state in prosecuting misdemeanor criminal cases.
    
  • Victims of family violence in protective order proceedings.
  • The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in child abuse and neglect cases.
  • The state in applications and petitions for mental health commitments.

County District Attorney

• Represents the state in prosecuting felony criminal cases.
• Works with law enforcement officers in the investigation of criminal cases.
• Presents cases to the grand jury.
• Represents victims of violence in protective orders and represents the state in removing children from abusive households.

Proposition

• a direct vote by voter on an issue or policy
• also known as a ballot measure

Bond

• a loan to pay for a specific project
  
• repaid through property taxes

Municipal Utility District (MUD elections are not covered by the Voters Guide).

• A MUD is a political subdivision of the state that's authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to provide the following:
  • water
  • sewage
  • drainage
  • and other services within its boundaries

Texas Supreme Court

• Justices serve a six-year term
• Justices are elected by voters of the entire state
• Includes a Chief Justice and eight justices
  
• Issues final decisions on civil and juvenile appeals.
  
• Issues certain orders to governmental officials to act and individuals to appear before the court
• Has jurisdiction over orders or judgments of trial courts if the Supreme Court determines them important to the Texas legal system.

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

• Six-year term
• Elected by voters of the entire state
  
• Includes a Presiding Judge and eight Judges
• Texas’ highest court for criminal cases.
• Reviews all cases in which the death penalty is assessed.
• Exercises discretionary review in other criminal cases
• Issues rulings about wrongful imprisonment.

Chief Justice and Justice, Court of Appeals

• Six-year term.
• There are 14 Courts of Appeals in Texas located in 14 cities throughout the state.
• Each of these Courts includes a Chief Justice and at least two other Justices.
• These Courts hear appeals on civil and criminal cases from lower courts in their districts

The Governor

• A four-year term
• The chief executive of the state
• Appoints members to boards and commissions
• Appoints statewide executive officials, state judges and district attorneys when vacancies occur
• Declares special elections to fill vacancies in certain elected offices
• Delivers the State of the State address
• Provides guidance to the legislature
• Call special sessions of the legislature and set the agenda
• Serves as commander-in-chief of the state’s military forces.
• Can veto legislation (including a line-item veto on appropriations)
• Signs legislation, or allow it to become law without their signature

The Lieutenant Governor

• Four-year term.
• The lieutenant governor is powerful because of their position as president of the Texas Senate
• Appoints the chairs and vice-chairs of committees
• Appoints senators to committees
• Assigns bills to committees
• Control the Senate’s agenda.
• A member of several commissions and boards,
• Serves as governor in the governor’s absence.

The Attorney General

• Four-year term.

• The attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of the state

• Represents the state and state officials in legal matters

• Issues opinions

• Oversees collection of child support

• Administers the crime victims compensation fund

• Enforces the open records/open meetings acts

• Approves public bond issues

• Enforces consumer regulations. 

Comptroller of Public Accounts

• Four-year term.

• The chief financial officer of the state

• Collects state taxes and fees

• Pays the state’s bills

• Provides revenue estimates to the legislature

• Certifies the budget

• Reports the condition of the state’s finances

• Provides economic development assistance to local governments and private business.

Commissioner of General Land Office

• Four-year term.

• Head of the General Land Office

• Manages state lands, including oil and gas properties (which supply funds to the Permanent School Fund) and the Alamo.

• Chairs the Veterans Land Board, which administers programs for Texas veterans, and is responsible for environmental protection of Texas’ coast.

• Chairs the School Land Board and the Coastal Coordination Advisory Committee.

The Railroad Commissioner

• Six-year term.
• One of the three-member Texas Railroad Commission.
• The Railroad Commission regulates:
  • The oil and gas industry
  • Gas utilities
  • Pipeline safety
  • Safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry
  • Surface coal and uranium mining
• The Railroad Commission has no regulatory authority concerning railroads.

The State Board of Education

• Four-year term.
• The fifteen-member board decides:
  • Curriculum,
  • Standards,
  • Student testing,
  • Special education programs
  • Textbooks for Texas public schools.
• It also oversees the Permanent School Fund. 

Texas Representatives

• Represent 150 districts in Texas at the House.
• The House is one of two chambers that make up the Texas State Legislature.
• Vote for the leader of the House called "the Speaker of the House".
• Help make and vote on laws
• Serve on committees
• Decide where the money goes within state government
• Bills for raising money must originate in the House
• Can impeach a statewide officer

Texas Senators

• Represent 31 districts in Texas.
• The Senate is one of two chambers that make up the Texas State Legislature.
• The Lieutenant Governor of Texas serves as the President of the Senate.
• Help make the laws for Texas
• Serve on committees
   
  

The President

• Four-year term.
• The President is:
  • The head of state of the United States of America
  • The Chief Executive Officer
  • The Commander in Chief of all military forces.
• The powers of the President are prescribed in the Constitution and federal law.
• The President, along with the Cabinet and its agencies, is responsible for carrying out and enforcing the laws of the United States.
• The President may also recommend legislation to the United States Congress.
• The President appoints:
  • Members of the Cabinet
  • Ambassadors to other nations and the United Nations,
  • Supreme Court Justices
  • Federal judges, subject to Senate approval. 

U.S. Senator

• Six-year term.
• One of two members of the U.S. Senate from Texas.
• With the U.S. House, the Senate
  • makes laws;
  • raises revenues,
  • appropriates federal funds
  • manages the federal debt;
  • regulates commerce among states and with other nations;
  • declares war and maintains and regulates the military;
  • establishes the federal court system and defines federal crimes;
  • directs the census every ten years.
    

• The Senate has the exclusive power to
  • advise and consent on presidential nominations to executive and judicial offices,
  • ratify U.S. treaties
  • try impeachments

U.S. Representative

• Serves a two year term
• Represents their district in the House,  one of Congress’s two chambers (the other is the U.S. Senate), and part of the federal government’s legislative branch.
• There are 435 Representatives
  
• Votes for the Speaker of the House.
• With the U.S. Senate, the House
  • makes federal laws;
  • raises revenues,
  • appropriates federal funds
  • manages the federal debt;
  • regulates commerce among states and with other nations;
  • declares war and maintains and regulates the military;
  • establishes the federal court system and defines federal crimes;
  • directs the census every ten years. 
• The House has the exclusive power to
  • Initiate revenue bills;
  • Impeach federal officials, and;
  • Elect the President of the United States in the case no candidate receives an absolute majority in the Electoral College.