What is a characteristic of counties in Texas governance?

Counties in Texas governance are characterized by being administrative and judicial entities with fragmented authority. This means that the governance structure of counties is spread across various elected officials and specific functions rather than being concentrated in a single authority. In Texas, each county is typically governed by an elected Commissioners Court, which oversees the administration of county services, while other elected officials, such as the sheriff, district clerk, and county judge, have distinct responsibilities and powers. This fragmentation creates a system where no single entity has total control, ensuring checks and balances through the various offices and their specific roles. Additionally, this structure reflects the decentralized nature of governance in Texas, which emphasizes local control and responsiveness to community needs.

In Texas, the other options do not accurately represent the nature of county governance—counties do not operate as completely self-governing entities and do not possess unlimited legislative power, as their authority is defined by state law. Moreover, while counties have functional similarities to corporate structures in terms of managing budgets and resources, their governance is inherently more complex due to the legal and political framework surrounding them.