Services Provided How counties and municipalities share the responsibilities of providing for the population varies from state to state. The county board of elections registers voters and conducts elections for federal, state, and local offices. The county sheriff operates a jail to hold people awaiting trial and people convicted of minor crimes and the county is required to provide appropriate space for the state's district and superior courts. Counties provide emergency medical service either through county departments or through support for volunteer EMS squads. Counties have responsibility for social services, public health services, and mental health services.
Counties provide for the safe disposal of solid wastes produced in the county.
Counties provide substantial funding for public schools, often the single largest expenditure in county budgets. Cities are not mandated to provide any services. All municipalities have the authority to provide certain services under an act of the General Assembly dating to 1855 and, over time, individual municipalities and groups of municipalities have been given additional authority. Some municipalities operate additional services, such as airports, auditoriums, bus systems, cemeteries, electric or gas systems, parks and recreation programs, public housing, and traffic control. Authority of elected officials Voters in each county elect a board of county commissioners, a sheriff, and a register of deeds.