Member-only story
Last week, we ran a piece on the job of mayor to help shed some light on the duties of that office. This time, we’re focusing on the role of the county commissioners.
I spoke to commissioners in both Stevens and Ferry Counties (Pend Oreille did not respond to my request) and learned that just as the mayor’s job is wide and varied, the same goes for the position of commissioner.
The requirements for becoming a commissioner are much like the position of mayor: Candidates have to live in the district they’re running in, must be a U.S. citizen, and have to be a registered voter. According to the NACo’s (National Association of Counties) flyer entitled “What Do County Commissioners Do All Day?” — commissioners “come from all walks of life. They can be teachers, nurses, lawyers, doctors, businesspeople, farmers, and homemakers. Recently, candidates have become younger and younger, including college students. There is no best experience for elected office, but any experience that may have provided knowledge about finance, budgeting, communications, law, and personnel is beneficial.” Those areas of expertise mentioned come in handy because running a county encompasses them all. When asked what could prepare a person for being a commissioner, someone may have answered that cage fighting would be helpful, but I’m pretty sure he was joking.
