Local government is government smaller than state government.
North Dakota is divided into 53 counties.
County governments help the state government carry out its duties.
The county seat is the town that contains the courthouse and county offices.
The County Commission is the main governing body of a county.
County officials are elected on no-party ballots.
The sheriff is the police officer of the county.
The state’s attorney is a lawyer who represents the state at the county level.
The county recorder is in charge of documents.
The county treasurer is in charge of the county’s money.
The county auditor is the bookkeeper for the county.
Counties are divided into squares called “townships.”
Each township measures six miles on each side for a total of 36 sections.
Townships are managed by three-member boards called “township supervisors” who are elected by the township residents.
A budget is a plan for spending money.
An assessor determines how much property is worth for tax purposes.
A city government provides services for residents of the city.
The mayor is the chief executive of a city.
City laws are called ordinances.
North Dakota has five tribal nations located within its border.
American Indian tribes are sovereign, or self-governing.
North Dakota state government does not have authority over the American Indian tribes located in the state.
Each tribe has its own constitution, or plan of government.
A chair (chairman or chairwoman) is the chief executive officer of a tribe.
Each tribe has its own tribal council and court system.
The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission helps the state and the tribes work together.
Politics is the method by which groups make decisions about government.
A political party tries to get its candidates elected to office.
A candidate is a person who is trying to get elected.
The two major political parties in the United States are the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.
Independents may sometimes vote for Republicans, sometimes for Democrats, and sometimes for third-party candidates.
Political parties are not involved in the elections of no-party candidates.
A North Dakota voter must be at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen, a resident of North Dakota, and a resident of the precinct, or voting district, for at least 30 days.
North Dakota is the only state that does not require voter registration.
Places to vote are called “polls.”
Voting in the United States is done by secret ballot.
A person may vote from home by absentee ballot which is a type of secret ballot.
