The most common form of county government is the _____ system, where an elected body serves as the governing body and handles all legislative and executive functions.

• A. Council system
• B. Counc il-manager system
• C. Commission system
• D. Strong-mayor system

Answer: (C)

Counties most often use the commission system because a small elected board of commissioners serves as the governing body and carries both legislative and executive responsibilities. They set policy, adopt budgets, pass ordinances, and directly oversee county departments, all without a separate elected county executive. This combination—the board acting as both legislative and administrative authority—defines the system.

In contrast, a council system relies on a legislative council with an independent executive or mayor, which isn’t typical for counties. A council-manager setup has a professional manager running day-to-day operations under the council, a model more common for municipalities than counties. The strong-mayor arrangement is a city-centered form where the mayor holds substantial executive power, not usually how counties are organized.