Supervisors

Summary of Office

The governing authority for counties in Mississippi is the board of supervisors. Through the lawful actions of the board, county priorities are set, projects funded, and the business of the county conducted. The board of supervisors functions within the legislative and executive branches of government.

Number to Be Elected

The board of supervisors for each county consists of five supervisors, each being elected from one of five geographic districts. Every county is divided into five supervisor districts, which are to be as equal as possible in population.

Term of Office

Nominations for election to the office of county supervisor are made via primary elections conducted by the political parties or via a petition of qualified electors. The general election for the office of county supervisor is held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of general election years. The qualified electors in each district elect one member to the board for a term of 4 years. The term of office of a supervisor starts on the first Monday of January after the election.

Criteria to Run

Must reside in the district from which he/she is chosen, must be a qualified elector and have no felony record, and must not be liable for unaccounted public money.

Duties of Office

Boards of supervisors have limited home rule authority. In general terms, this means they have authority to regulate the county’s affairs within the limits of state law. Supervisors are delegated a variety of public duties. They have full authority over county roads, ferries, bridges, county law enforcement, collections, fines, and levying taxes. The board of supervisors appoints some county officials. The board is responsible for guiding and establishing policy for the complex multi-million dollar budgets of county government. Supervisors make decisions that directly impact economic development, public health, safety, and welfare of county citizens.