In 1850 the Utah Territorial Legislature created six small counties. Each contained an area of early white settlement. County borders and names were changed about 100 times before the creation of Daggett County in 1917 gave Utah its present 29 counties.
Counties are units of local government, but state laws define their form and powers.
Three-member county commissions govern 28 of Utah's counties. In 1987 Cache County changed to another form of government allowed under state law and is now run by an executive officer and a seven-member council. The commission or council must hold regular meetings, open to the public, at the county seat. Other elected officials usually include county clerk, treasurer, attorney, recorder, assessor, auditor, surveyor, and sheriff. In the early settlement period, county and town officials were often LDS church leaders.