What Are the Different Types of Local Politicians?

Many politicians are elected to work for state, county and municipal governments and agencies. These people manage government functions and set public policy for local citizens. Some examples of local politicians include town mayors, sheriffs, and governors. Voters elect local politicians to represent them and take care of the public's business.

One local politician elected by local voters is a town mayor. The mayor is responsible for the governance and management of his community. This typically includes emergency responders, trash removal, and other local town management responsibilities.

Another locally elected position is a town sheriff. The sheriff has police jurisdiction over a small county or town. The sheriff is important law enforcement official, so his job typically requires several years of experience.

A town treasurer is another example of a local politician. He is known as the chief financial officer for a local community. This person typically works for the town mayor or local commission board. He is responsible for managing the local finances of a county, which includes collecting yearly tax revenue. He is known as local politician because he deals with all financial matters for the local town our county.

School board officials are the local politicians that manage a community's school system. Voters elect the school board, and board members then are responsible for hiring and managing the teachers, administrators, and other employees who work in the schools. The school board is also responsible for managing the district's finances, which are provided by tax revenue from voters.

A governor is the top elected person in each state's administrative branch. He is responsible for a state's administrative departments that regulate schools, environmental policies, highway systems, health and human services networks, and other functions. This person in this job usually has a very high public and political profile. Many governors use this platform to become candidates for higher office, including president.

Local politicians have the responsibility to maintain roads, provide safe sanitation, trash removal, and health and human services for the local community. Local communities pay for these services with tax revenue. States, counties and municipalities collect sales taxes, income taxes, and property taxes to generate revenue.