In December of 2023, the Board of Supervisors in Prince William County voted 4-3 to approve the building of several data centers near Manassas Battlefield National Park. The approval came in the midst of controversy from county residents, and despite opposition from the county’s Planning Office and Commission, highlighting the power the Board of Supervisors has over decisions related to land use and zoning.

The proposal was to develop 2,000 acres of Pageland Lane, an area of rural and agricultural land, into a complex of data centers, which would be known as the Digital Gateway Project. Supporters of the project said it would generate jobs and boost the economy, and estimates projected hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. They argued that the money would help the county fund schools and other county services and projects, as well as boost the county’s participation in Northern Virginia’s booming market for data centers.

On the other hand, critics were concerned about the environmental impact. They noted that the project would reduce the amount of rural land in the county, and said it would disrupt the ambiance of the nearby battlefield park, citing the potential for increased noise and pollution. One of the most significant concerns was potential harm to the nearby Occoquan River watershed, along with higher emissions and utility bills because of the huge amounts of electricity data centers need to operate. These concerns led the county’s Planning Office and Commission to oppose the project, along with a coalition of environmental and conservation groups. 

About a month after the vote, the American Battlefield Trust filed a lawsuit to stop the project, saying that the public had not been properly informed. A judge agreed and stopped the project, and as of September 2025 the county planned to appeal. The conflict shows the many ways that land use and zoning issues can impact communities, and the power county governments have in those decisions.

Sources: the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks; the American Battlefield Trust; Northern Virginia Technology Council; Inside Nova

As of January 2024, over 400 people in Erie County, Pennsylvania were identified as unhoused, and 600 more were at risk of losing their housing. These numbers have risen in recent years, and the Erie County Executive, who oversees departments like Human Services, plays a key role in shaping how homelessness is addressed in the county. After the 2024 count was released, County Executive Brenton Davis took action to improve services, announcing that the Our Neighbors’ Place shelter would move to a permanent site instead of rotating locations each season as it had done for the previous 12 years. ONP is an “overflow shelter” – a shelter that provides beds to people who aren’t able to find space in the county’s other facilities. The goal of this change was to focus the county’s resources in one place, to make access easier for those who needed it. The new location would also serve meals, provide showers, and make volunteers available who could connect people to social services, healthcare and more. To help reduce homelessness long-term, the county is partnering with local organizations to direct $2.9 million in federal funds towards new housing, rental assistance, and other services that help people get and stay housed.

Sources: Erie County, Pennsylvania; Erie County Continuum of Care; Erie Times-News

Term limits: none required by state law, but a few parishes have term limits. Terms are four years

Eligibility: to serve in local government, you must be eligible to vote in Louisiana, and have lived in Louisiana for at least two years and in your parish for at least one year. Some parishes who elect their leaders by district also require candidates to have lived in their district for a certain amount of time.

Louisiana has several different types of parish governments – see which one your parish uses here. Most parishes are divided into districts and every district elects one representative, but some governments have at-large members as well. Even though the structures vary, parish governments are usually responsible for the same services and programs: road and bridge maintenance, traffic, garbage removal, water and sewage, fire response, local courts, local jails, parks and recreation, land use and zoning/housing decisions, and some health services. Other elected parish officials like sheriffs, coroners, clerks, registrars, and district attorneys all report to their parish government.

Depending on where you live, your parish government is one of the following:

• Parish Police Jury
  Around two-thirds of Louisiana’s parishes have this system – Juries have between three and fifteen jurors depending on population, and act as both legislative and executive leaders in the parish (meaning they write and vote on policies and the parish budget, and then execute the policies and budget as leaders of the government)
• Parish Council
  Most of Louisiana’s parishes that don’t have Police Juries use this system. The number of Council members varies by population.
  Some parishes with this system also have a Parish or Council President, who is elected separately by all the voters of the parish. In parishes with Presidents, the Council is the legislative branch and makes the policies, while the President is the “chief executive” responsible for running the daily operations of government and executing the Council’s policies – similar to the Mayor of a city.
• Parish Commission
  Caddo parish is the only parish with this system. It’s very similar to the Parish Council system – the main difference is that the Commission appoints a Parish Administrator, who is responsible for executing policies and running the daily operations of government. The Commission is the legislative branch, voting on policies and setting the budget.
• Consolidated city-parish governments
  In East Baton Rouge, Terrebone, and Orleans, the city and parish are one single government. These governments have a chief executive (a Mayor-President, President, or Mayor) who runs the daily operations of government, and a Council that acts as the legislative branch and sets the policies and budget.
  Lafayette is also a consolidated city-parish government, but has two Councils – one for the parish, and one for the city. They’re each responsible for passing policies for their areas, but sometimes have joint meetings and set policies together if an issue affects both. The whole government has a chief executive, who is called the Mayor-President.

Sources: Louisiana Revised Statutes; Louisiana Legislative Auditor; Louisiana House of Representatives; the Police Jury Association of Louisiana; 64 Parishes; Assumption Parish Police Jury; Caddo Parish Commission; Livingston Parish Council; Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council; Lafayette Consolidated Government; Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government; New Orleans City Council

Term limits: none; terms are two or four years (varies by county)

Eligibility: to run for any office in North Carolina, you must be at least 21 years old and eligible to vote in the state; to be a County Commissioner, you also need to live in the county you want to represent

Every county in North Carolina has an elected Board of Commissioners. The number of Commissioners, election method (at-large vs. district), how the Board Chair is chosen, and terms all vary – find the specifics of your county here. County Commissions act as both the legislative and executive branches of county government: they pass policies by majority vote, then execute the policies and lead the government. Some Boards appoint County Managers to run the daily operations of government.

A County Commissioner’s main powers and responsibilities are:

• Deciding on the annual budget, which laid out how the county spends its money
  In counties that use County Managers, the Manager often prepares a recommended budget for the Board.
• Setting and collecting local taxes, including property taxes
  The Tax Assessor’s office, which assesses the value of properties, is also part of county government
• Health and social services
  County governments are responsible for public health, mental health, disability, substance use, child welfare, and homelessness services; some counties also manage public hospitals and nursing homes
• Utilities
  Some counties oversee local water, sewer, and waste management services
• Managing parks, libraries, environmental programs, and cemeteries
• Making housing and land use decisions
  County governments can make zoning decisions about what kinds of housing and commercial buildings can be built, and can also build or fund affordable housing
• Public safety and emergency services
  County governments are responsible for maintaining local courthouses, and some run fire and ambulance services. The Commissioners also set the budget for the Sheriff’s office, but the Sheriff decides how to spend that money
• Maintaining school buildings and facilities
  In North Carolina, school districts are run by separately elected School Boards, but the County Commission is responsible for the school district’s buildings and other facilities

Sources: the North Carolina Constitution, Article VI; the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 153A; UNC School of government on the division of county vs. city responsibilities; Chatham County Government; the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners; the National Association of Counties

Term limits: none, but some counties set term limits for their County Executives; terms are four years

Eligibility: to serve in local government, you must be a registered Pennsylvania voter and have lived in the county you want to represent for at least one year

Almost every county in Pennsylvania has a County Commission or County Council. The one exception is Philadelphia, which has a consolidated city-county government and is run by the Philadelphia City Council. Most counties have three Commissioners, all elected at-large (by all the voters of the county), but a few have larger Commissions with a mix of at-large members and members elected by district. 

The Commission’s main responsibilities are:

• Managing the county budget and finances
  Creating the annual budget, setting local tax rates, property tax assessments, and borrowing money for big projects
• Running elections and managing voter registration
• Operating local jails
• Health and human services
  Including child and youth services, juvenile justice, mental health and substance use treatment, homeless services, elder care, and veterans’ affairs
• Infrastructure repairs and maintenance
  Roads, bridges, public transit, water treatment, and waste management services
• Managing parks and libraries
• Housing plans
  Cities and towns get to make zoning decisions in their own areas, but counties create long-term plans for development that help cities and towns make land use decisions; some counties also operate low-income housing
• Emergency response
  Counties provide 911 services and are responsible for flood control programs

Erie, Lehigh, Northampton, and Allegheny counties elect a County Executive separately from the Commission or Council. In these counties, the executive acts like a mayor – they prepare the county budget, which is then approved by the Commission or Council, and are in charge of enforcing county policies and running the daily operations of government. They also have the power to veto (reject) a law or budget, which gives them a lot of power over local government.

Sources: Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 16 and Title 25; the National Association of Counties; the Allegheny County Council; Clarion County Government

Term limits: none; terms are four years

Eligibility: to run for Supervisor, you must be qualified to vote in Virginia, a resident of the county you want to represent, and have been a resident of Virginia for at least one year. 

Every county in Virginia has a Board of Supervisors, which has 3-11 members depending on population. Counties are divided into districts, and every district elects one Supervisor; some counties have an at-large Supervisor as well, who is elected by all the voters of the county. A few counties elect a Chair separately (also at-large) who leads the board, but in most counties the Supervisors will choose a Chair among themselves.

Boards of Supervisors act as both the legislative and executive branches of county government: they pass policies by majority vote, then execute the policies and lead the government. A Board’s main responsibilities are:

• Setting the county’s budget and local tax rates
• Social and health services
  Including operating public hospitals, child and family services, mental health and substance use treatment, and homelessness services
• Maintaining local infrastructure
  Some counties also run electric and gas utilities, which gives them some power of your utility bills
• Public amenities
  Including parks, recreational facilities, libraries, and more
• Land use and zoning decisions
  Where and what kinds of housing can be built, and whether to authorize big development projects like sports arenas or data centers
• Education budget
  Your county sets the budget for your local public school district (they don’t have power over things like curriculum, book choices, and teacher hiring though – that’s the job of your local School Board)
• Election administration
  County government offices are in charge of voter registration, absentee ballots, polling places, voting equipment, counting votes, and verifying the results of elections
• Operating the county jail
• Appointing a County Manager, Executive, or Administrator
  Some counties appoint an official who’s responsible for managing the daily operations of the county government, and the Board has the power to hire and fire this person

Sources: the Constitution of Virginia; Code of Virginia Title 15.2 and Title 24.2 Chapter 2; the National Association of Counties on County Administrators and Virginia’s county government structure