Elected Offices For Texas And Collin Co.

	Collin County Commissioners' Court Four Commissioners, each elected from a quarter of the county's population, serve with a Presiding County Judge on the Commissioners Court. The Collin County Commissioner's Court approves the annual budget and all county expenditures, sets the county property tax rates, approves the tax roll and determines public works policy such as building programs and conducting elections. The court appoints most non-elected department heads and standing committees and represents the county in state and regional matters. Your Collin County Commissioners' Court Precinct Number can be found on your 2008 Orange Voter's Registration Card within the box titled "Com." More
	Texas Railroad Commission There are three individuals who serve together on the Texas Railroad Commission. Railroad Commissioners serve six year terms, with one commissioner seeking state wide election every two years, including this year. The Texas Railroad Commission is the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, and surface coal and uranium mining. As is suggested by its name, the Railroad Commission was initially created to regulate railroads. Pipelines, the oil and gas industry and and gas utilities were added to the commission's jurisdiction by 1920. Effective October 1, 2005, the Railroad Commission of Texas no longer has regulatory authority over railroads, but the Texas legislature has never renamed the agency. Hence, the misnamed agency is a constant source of confusion among most voters . More
	Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals The Texas District Courts of Appeals are distributed in fourteen districts around the state of Texas. The Courts of Appeal have intermediate appellate jurisdiction in both civil and criminal cases appealed from district or county courts. Like the Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals, Justices of the Texas Courts of Appeals are elected to six-year terms by general election. (Graphical Guide to the Court System of Texas) Appeals from Collin, Dallas, Kaufman, Rockwall and Grayson counties (map) are all heard by the 5th District Court of Appeals, which includes one Chief Justice and 12 and twelve additional Justices. More
	Texas Court of Criminal Appeals The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the court of last resort for all criminal matters in the State of Texas and is composed of a Presiding Judge and eight additional Judges. Each appellate Judge is elected to "court place positions" in staggered six-year terms by state-wide general election. The appeal of all cases in which the death penalty has been assessed go directly to the Court of Criminal Appeals from the trial courts. (Graphical Guide to the Court System of Texas) The appeals of all other criminal cases go to one of the fourteen District Courts of Appeals in Texas, however, their decisions may also be reviewed by the Court of Criminal Appeals. More
	Supreme Court of Texas The Supreme Court of Texas is composed of a Chief Justice plus eight Justices and it is the court of last resort for civil matters in the State of Texas. A different court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is the court of last resort for criminal matters. (Graphical Guide to the Court System of Texas) All justices are elected to a "court place position" in state-wide general elections. Other than Place 1, which is reserved as the Chief Justice place position, the Supreme Court place numbers have no special significance. More
	U.S. House of Representatives Districts for Collin Co. The boundaries of the 3rd Texas Congressional District and the 4th Texas Congressional District meet in Collin County. Your Congressional District Number can be found on your 2008 Orange Voter's Registration Card within the box titled "Congress." The 3rd Texas Congressional District includes a large portion of the southwestern corner of Collin County that includes Plano and most of Frisco and McKinney. The 3rd District also encompasses a northeastern corner of Dallas County that includes parts of Richardson, Garland and Dallas. The 4th District includes the northern and eastern parts of Collin county. More
	U.S. Senate Seats for Texas Article One of the Constitution of the United States specifies that each state shall have two Senators. The Constitution assigns special responsibilities to the Senate to advise and exercise its consent on proposals made by the President of the United States for key executive and judicial appointments, including Justices to the Supreme Court, and on the ratification of treaties with foreign countries. The two U.S. Senators from Texas cast two of the fifty votes the Senate needs to advise and exercise its consent on appoints and treaties proposed by the President. More
	President of the United States Candidate In Texas, the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes determines whether the Democratic or Republican slate of 34 electors will cast the electoral votes for president approximately one month after the Nov. 4th general election. In other words, if Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, receives the most popular votes in Texas, then the Democratic Party's slate of 34 electors is certified to cast the Electoral College votes for president in Texas. A total of 270 out of 538 possible electoral votes are require to elect the President of the United States. More