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State legislature (United States)

In the United States, the state legislature is the   legislative branch in each of the 50 U.S. states.

A legislature generally performs state duties for a state in the same way that the United States Congress performs national duties at the national level. Generally, the same system of checks and balances that exists at the Federal level also exists between the state legislature, the state executive officer (governor) and the state judiciary. A state is permitted to use a parliamentary system, or any other system of government, if it so desired.

In 27 states, the legislature is called the Legislature or the State Legislature, while in 19 states the legislature is called the General Assembly. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the General Court, while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature the Legislative Assembly.

Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a state legislature vary from state to state, depending on state's constitution.

The primary function of any legislature is to create laws. State legislatures also approve budget for state government. They may establish government agencies, set their policies, and approve their budgets. For instance, a state legislature could establish an agency to manage environmental conservation efforts within that state. In some states, state legislators elect other officials, such as governor.

State legislatures often have power to regulate businesses operating within their jurisdiction. They also regulate courts within their jurisdiction. This includes determining types of cases that can be heard, setting court fees, and regulating attorney conduct.

Other responsibilities

Under the terms of Article V of the U.S. Constitution, state lawmakers retain the power to ratify Constitutional amendments which have been proposed by both houses of Congress and they also retain the ability to call for a national convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

After the convention has concluded its business 75% of the states will ratify what the convention has proposed. Under Article II, state legislatures choose the manner of appointing the state's presidential electors. Formerly, state legislatures appointed the U.S. Senators from their respective states until the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913 required the direct election of Senators by the state's voters.

Sometimes what the legislature wishes to accomplish cannot be done simply by the passage of a bill, but rather requires amending the state constitution. Each state has specified steps intended to make it difficult to alter the constitution without the sufficient support of either the legislature, or the people, or both.

Organization
All states except Nebraska have a bicameral legislature. The smaller chamber is called the Senate, usually referred to as the upper house. This chamber usually has the exclusive power to confirm appointments made by the governor and to try articles of impeachment. (In a few states, a separate Executive Council, composed of members elected from large districts, performs the confirmation function.)

Nebraska originally had a bicameral legislature like the other states, but the lower house was abolished following a referendum, effective with the 1936 elections. The remaining unicameral (one-chamber) legislature is called the Nebraska Legislature, but its members are called state senators.

History
The first bicameral American legislature was formed in 1619 as the Virginia House of Burgesses.

The legislatures of the initial Thirteen Colonies usually consisted of an elected lower house and an appointed upper house, the latter of which also functioned as an advisory council to the colonial Governor. After the American Revolution and the establishment of the United States, most states wrote new constitutions which had direct elections for both chambers of the legislature. This model helped influence the U.S. Constitution and was then adopted by new states which later joined the union.

Representation
Members of the smaller chamber represent more citizens and usually serve for longer terms than members of the larger chamber, generally four years. In 41 states, the larger chamber is called the House of Representatives. Five states designate the larger chamber the Assembly, three states call it the House of Delegates, and one has just one chamber. Members of the larger chamber usually serve for terms of two years. The larger chamber customarily has the exclusive power to initiate taxing legislation and articles of impeachment.

Prior to the United States Supreme Court decisions Baker v. Carr (1962) and Reynolds v. Sims (1964), the basis of representation in most state legislatures was modeled on that of the U.S. Congress: the state senators represented geographical units, while members of the larger chamber represented population. In Reynolds v. Sims the Supreme Court decided upon the one man, one vote standard for state legislatures and invalidated representation based on geographical units regardless of population. (The ruling does not affect the U.S. Senate, because that chamber's makeup is prescribed by the U.S. Constitution.)

Sessions
During a legislative session, the legislature considers matters introduced by its members or submitted by the governor. Businesses and other special interest organizations often lobby the legislature to obtain beneficial legislation, defeat unfavorably perceived measures, or influence other legislative action. A legislature also approves the state's operating and capital budgets, which may begin as a legislative proposal or a submission by the governor.

In most states, a new state legislature convenes in January of the odd-numbered year after the election of members to the larger chamber. The period during which the legislature remains in session varies by state. In states where the legislature is considered part-time, a session may last several months; where the legislature is considered full-time, the session may last all year, with periodic breaks for district work.

Some states have varying lengths for odd-numbered and even-numbered years, or allow for a fixed number of either legislative or calendar days. Georgia for example, allows only 40 legislative days per year, and Wyoming allows 60 legislative days per term and no more than 40 per one calendar year. Whereas in Michigan, New Jersey, New York (in odd-numbered years), Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (in odd-numbered years), the sessions usually last all year.

Four state legislatures – Montana, Nevada, North Dakota and Texas – meet only biennially. In the early 1960s, only 19 legislatures met annually, but by the mid-1970s, it had increased to 41. The latest legislature to switch to annual sessions was Oregon in 2011, following a voter-approved ballot measure.

Many state legislators meet every year at the National Conference of The Council of State Governments (CSG), headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, with offices in Washington, DC; New York City; Chicago; Atlanta; and Sacramento, and at the annual meetings of CSG's regions, The Southern Legislative Conference, The Midwestern Legislative Conference, the Eastern Regional Conference and CSG West, and at the Legislative Summit of the National Conference of State Legislatures, which is headquartered in Denver, Colorado and has a lobbying office in Washington, D.C.

Additionally, privately funded organizations with ideological leanings have annual meetings attracting many legislators. These include the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative organization, and the State Innovation Exchange (SiX), its progressive counterpart.

Legislative Procedure
As of 2017, 24 of 99 chambers have limits on the number of bills that a legislator can introduce per year according to NCSL. Most limits are set by internal legislative rules, while Louisiana's legislature is limited by constitutional amendment. Generally, the legislative bodies and their committees use either Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure or an amended form thereof. During official meetings, a professional parliamentarian is available to ensure that legislation and accompanying discussion proceed as orderly as possible without bias.

Bill drafting and submission

The lawmaking process begins with the introduction of a bill in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. Bills may be introduced in either house, sometimes with the exception of bills increasing or decreasing revenue, which must originate in the House of Representatives. The order of business in each house provides a proper time for the introduction of bills.

Bills are usually assigned consecutive numbers, given in the order of their introduction, to facilitate identification. Usually a bill cannot become enacted until it has been read on a certain number of days in each house. Upon introduction, a bill is usually read by its title only, constituting the first reading of the bill. Because a bill is usually read by title only, it is important that the title give the members notice of the subject matter contained in the bill.

A 2013 study of state legislatures found that of the 99 studied, about half, 53, had roll rates below 5%. And most, 83, had roll rates below 10%.

When a bill passes where most votes are from the minority party and "moderate" members of a majority party, this is known as the majority being "rolled". When there are bills which most of the majority oppose, roll rates are a measure of the majority party's avoidance of voting on those bills.

Committee review

Committees review bill, often holding hearings to gather information and opinions, and can propose amendments to bill similar to legislative bodies throughout the world. Most bills cannot be enacted into law until it has been referred to, acted upon by, and returned from, a standing committee in each house. Reference to committee usually follows the first reading of the bill.

Each committee is set up to consider bills relating to a particular subject. Standing committees are charged with the important responsibility of examining bills and recommending action to the Senate or House. Often on days when a legislature is not in session, the committees of each house meet and consider the bills that have been referred to them to decide if the assigned bills should be reported for further action.

For most bills, the recommendations of the committee are followed, although either house is free to accept or reject the action of the committee. Bills reported favorably by a committee may be placed on a regular calendar (the agenda of the deliberative body).

Most of the work of the legislature is done by committees. The legislature as a whole relies on its committees to report out only those bills deserving the consideration of the entire house.

Through standing committees, each bill is addressed by a group of members who have special knowledge of its subject. Some members of the legislature have expert knowledge of particular subjects of legislation, and these members are usually placed on committees to take full advantage of this specialized knowledge. For this reason, the legislature often accepts the final recommendations of its standing committees. As has been noted, however, the legislature does not completely abdicate its responsibility for the consideration of pending bills. If the need arises, the members of either house can force a committee to take action on a bill, or they can ignore the committee's recommendations.

Pocket veto and discharge petitions

Pocket veto powers are common, which allows a committee to "kill" a bill, sometimes without even a public vote; in Colorado, the power was notably repealed in a citizen initiative constitutional amendment in 1988 driven by various reform groups.

When a committee refuses to vote a bill out of committee, a discharge petition can be passed by the broader membership. The specifics vary from state to state; for example, in 2004, a report found that New York State "places more restrictions than any other state legislature on motions to discharge a bill from a committee", which led to subsequent reforms.

Reports of Committee

After a committee has completed work on a bill, it reports the bill to the appropriate house during the "reports of committees" in the daily order of business. Reported bills are immediately given a second reading. The houses do not vote on a bill at the time it is reported; however, reported bills are placed on the calendar for the next legislative day. This second reading is made by title only.

The regular calendar is a list of bills that have been favorably reported from committee and are ready for consideration by the membership of the entire house.

Third reading

Regardless of where a bill is placed on the calendar, once the bill is considered and adopted, this is called the third reading. At this third reading of the bill, the entire legislature gives consideration to its passage. At this time, the bill may be studied in detail, debated, amended, and read at length before final passage.

If the majority vote in favor of the bill, it is recorded as passed.

Transmission to second house

A bill that is passed in one house is transmitted, along with a formal message, to the other house. If the bill is not reported from committee or is not considered by the full house, the bill is defeated.

The house of origin, upon return of its amended bill, may take any one of several courses of action. It may concur in the amendment by the adoption of a motion to that effect; then the bill, having been passed by both houses in identical form, is ready for enrollment. Another possibility is that the house of origin may adopt a motion to non-concur in the amendment, at which point the bill dies. Finally, the house of origin may refuse to accept the amendment but request that a conference committee be appointed. The other house usually agrees to the request, and the presiding officer of each house appoints members to the conference committee.

Conference committees

A conference committee is often empaneled to discuss the points of difference between the two houses' versions of the same bill, and tries to reach an agreement between them so that the identical bill can be passed by both houses. If an agreement is reached and if both houses adopt the conference committee's report, the bill is passed. If either house refuses to adopt the report of the conference committee, a motion may be made for further conference. If a conference committee is unable to reach an agreement, it may be discharged, and a new conference committee may be appointed. Some highly controversial bills may be referred to several different conference committees. If an agreement is never reached in conference prior to the end of the legislative session, the bill is lost.

When a bill has passed both houses in identical form, it is then ready for transmittal to the governor.

Governor's Approval or Veto

The governor may sign bills presented by the legislature, which completes its enactment into law. From this point, the bill becomes an act, and remains the law of the state unless repealed by legislative action or overturned by a court decision. Governors who do not approve of the bill may veto it. In the event of a veto, the governor returns the bill to the house in which it originated with a message of objections and amendments (if applicable) which might remove those objections. The bill is then reconsidered, and if a simple majority of the members of both houses agrees to the proposed executive amendments, it is returned to the governor for signature.

On the other hand, a qualified majority (two-thirds) of the members of each house can choose to approve a vetoed bill precisely as the legislature originally passed it, in which case it becomes a law over the governor's veto. If the governor fails to return a bill to the legislative house in which it originated within a specified number of days after it was presented, it becomes a law without their signature.

The bills that reach the governor less than a specified number of days before the end of the session may be approved within ten days after adjournment. The bills not approved within that time do not become law. This is known as a "pocket veto". This is the most conclusive form of veto, for the legislature (having adjourned) has no chance to reconsider the vetoed measure.

U.S. articles

 * List of United States state legislatures
 * List of current U.S. state legislators
 * Comparison of U.S. state governments
 * United States state legislatures' partisan trend
 * Multi-member districts in the United States

Other countries

 * State Legislature (India)
 * Legislative Assemblies of Canada's provinces and territories
 * Parliaments of the Australian states and territories
 * Legislative Assemblies of Brazilian states
 * Houses of Assembly of Nigerian states

title: State legislature (United States)


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Brazoria County, Texas

Brazoria County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 372,031. The county seat is Angleton.

Brazoria County is included in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area. It is located in the Gulf Coast region of Texas.

Regionally, parts of the county are within the extreme southernmost fringe of the regions locally known as Southeast Texas. Brazoria County is among a number of counties that are part of the region known as the Texas Coastal Bend. Its county seat is Angleton, and its largest city is Pearland. Brazoria County, like Brazos County farther upriver, takes its name from the Brazos River. It served as the first settlement area for Anglo-Texas, when the Old Three Hundred emigrated from the United States in 1821. The county also includes what was once Columbia and Velasco, Texas, early capital cities of the Republic of Texas. The highest point in Brazoria County is Shelton's Shack, located near the Dow Chemical Plant B Truck Control Center, measuring 342 ft above sea level.

History
Brazoria County takes its name from the Brazos River, which flows through it. Anglo-Texas began in Brazoria County when the first of Stephen F. Austin's authorized 300 American settlers arrived at the mouth of the Brazos in 1821. Many of the events leading to the Texas Revolution developed in Brazoria County. In 1832, Brazoria was organized as a separate municipal district by the Mexican government, so became one of Texas original counties at independence in 1836.

An early resident of Brazoria County, Joel Walter Robison, fought in the Texas Revolution and later represented Fayette County in the Texas House of Representatives.

Stephen F. Austin's original burial place is located at a church cemetery, Gulf Prairie Cemetery, in the town of Jones Creek, on what was his brother-in-law's Peach Point Plantation. His remains were exhumed in 1910 and brought to be reinterred at the state capital in Austin. The town of West Columbia served as the first capital of Texas, dating back to prerevolutionary days.

The Hastings Oil Field was discovered by the Stanolind Oil and Gas Company in 1934. Production was from a depth of 5990 ft, associated with a salt dome structure. Total production by 1954 was about 242 million barrels.

Lake Jackson is a community developed beginning in the early 1940s to provide housing to workers at a new Dow Chemical Company plant in nearby Freeport. The county has elements of both rural and suburban communities, as it is part of greater Houston.

On June 2, 2016, the flooding of the Brazos River required evacuations for portions of Brazoria County.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1609 sqmi, of which 1358 sqmi are land and 251 sqmi (16%) are covered by water.

Adjacent counties

 * Harris County (north)
 * Galveston County (northeast)
 * Gulf of Mexico (southeast)
 * Matagorda County (southwest)
 * Wharton County (west)
 * Fort Bend County (northwest)

National protected areas

 * Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge
 * San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Cities

 * Alvin
 * Angleton (county seat)
 * Brazoria
 * Brookside Village
 * Clute
 * Danbury
 * Freeport
 * Iowa Colony
 * Lake Jackson
 * Liverpool
 * Manvel
 * Oyster Creek
 * Pearland (small parts in Harris and Fort Bend counties)
 * Richwood
 * Sandy Point
 * Surfside Beach
 * Sweeny
 * West Columbia

Towns

 * Holiday Lakes
 * Quintana

Villages

 * Bailey's Prairie
 * Bonney
 * Hillcrest
 * Jones Creek

Census-designated places

 * Damon
 * East Columbia
 * Rosharon
 * Ryan Acres
 * Wild Peach Village

Unincorporated communities

 * Amsterdam
 * Anchor
 * Brazosport
 * Bryan Beach
 * Chenango
 * China Grove
 * Chocolate Bayou
 * Danciger
 * English
 * Four Corners
 * Hinkle's Ferry
 * Lochridge
 * Old Ocean
 * Otey
 * Silverlake
 * Snipe
 * Turtle Cove

Ghost towns

 * Hasima
 * Hastings
 * Lake Barbara
 * Mims
 * Oakland
 * Perry's Landing
 * Velasco

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, 241,767 people, 81,954 households, and 63,104 families resided in the county. The population density was 174 /mi2. The 90,628 housing units averaged 65 /mi2. According to the 2010 United States census, 313,166 people were living in the county; by 2020, its population grew to 372,031.

Of the 81,955 households in 2000, 40.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.00% were not families. About 19.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82, and the average family size was 3.23.

In the county, the age distribution as 28.60% under 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 32.40% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 8.80% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 107 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.4 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,632, and for a family was $55,282. Males had a median income of $42,193 versus $27,728 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,021. About 8.1% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Race and ethnicity
In the late 1800s the county was majority black as many were former slaves who had worked on plantations in the county. In 1882 it had 8,219 black people and 3,642 white people. However, after Jim Crow laws were cemented, many African-Americans moved to Houston and the county became majority white. By 2022, due to the growth of ethnic minorities in Pearland, non-Hispanic white people were now a plurality and not a majority in the county as a whole.

''Note: the U.S. Census Bureau treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

In 2000, the racial makeup of the county was 77.09% White, 8.50% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 9.66% from other races, and 2.22% from two or more races. About 22.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. About 12.1% were of German, 11.2% American, and 7.2% English ancestry according to 2000's census; about 79.0% spoke only English at home, while 18.1% spoke Spanish. By 2010, 70.1% were White, 12.1% African American, 5.5% Asian, 0.6% Native American, 9.2% of some other race, and 2.6% of more than one race; about 27.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

Elected officials
Nathan Haller, a black man, was the elected representative for the county from 1892 to 1897. After Jim Crow laws were imposed, black residents were suppressed politically until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In 2022 most major government officials were white.

Texas House of Representatives
Pearland native Kyle Kacal, a Republican from College Station, holds the District 12 state House seat based in Brazos and four neighboring counties.

Law enforcement and jails
The Brazoria County Sheriff's Office is the oldest law enforcement agency in the State of Texas, established by the Republic of Texas in March 1836. Among its duties include running the Brazoria County Jail, located at 3602 County Road 45 in unincorporated central Brazoria County, north of Angleton.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates six state prisons for men and its Region III office in unincorporated Brazoria County. As of 2007,1,495 full-time correctional job positions were in the county. In 1995, of the counties in Texas, Brazoria had the second-highest number of state prisons and jails, after Walker County. In 2003, a total of 2,572 employees were employed at the six TDCJ facilities. The TDCJ units are: (The following 3 are co-located in Otey, near Rosharon. )
 * Clemens Unit, nearBrazoria
 * Memorial Unit (formerly Darrington Unit), near Rosharon - The Windham School District Region III office is within the unit.
 * Ramsey Unit - The unit is co-located with Stringfellow and Terrell. The TDCJ Region III Maintenance Headquarters is within this unit.
 * Stringfellow Unit, near Rosharon - The unit is co-located with Ramsey and Terrell. The unit was originally named Ramsey II Prison Unit.
 * C. T. Terrell Unit - The unit is co-located with Ramsey and Stringfellow. It was originally known as the Ramsey III Unit.

In 2007, TDCJ officials said discussions to move the Central Unit from Sugar Land to Brazoria County were preliminary.

Former units:
 * Retrieve Unit (later Wayne Scott Unit), near Angleton. - Main prison closed in 2020

Education
A variety of school districts serve Brazoria County students. They include:
 * Alvin ISD
 * Angleton ISD
 * Brazosport ISD
 * Columbia-Brazoria ISD
 * Danbury ISD
 * Damon ISD
 * Friendswood ISD
 * Pearland ISD
 * Sweeny ISD

Alvin Community College and Brazosport College serve as higher education facilities. Alvin CC serves areas in Alvin, Danbury, and Pearland ISDs as well as portions of the Angleton ISD that Alvin CC had annexed prior to September 1, 1995. Brazosport College serves the remainder of Angleton ISD and the Brazosport, Columbia-Brazoria, Damon, and Sweeny ISD areas.

The Brazoria County Library System has branches in Alvin, Angleton, Brazoria, Clute, Danbury, Freeport, Lake Jackson, Manvel, Pearland, Sweeny and West Columbia, and runs the Brazoria County Historical Museum.

Major highways

 * [[Image:Texas 6.svg|20px]] State Highway 6
 * [[Image:Texas 35.svg|20px]] State Highway 35
 * [[Image:Texas 36.svg|20px]] State Highway 36

 * [[Image:Texas 288.svg|20px]] State Highway 288
 * [[Image:Texas 332.svg|20px]] State Highway 332

Airports
The Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport, in central unincorporated Brazoria County, is the county's sole publicly owned airport.

The following airports, located in the county, are privately owned and for public use:
 * Flyin' B Airport in western unincorporated Brazoria County
 * Skyway Manor Airport in Pearland
 * Pearland Regional Airport in eastern unincorporated Brazoria County south of the Pearland city limits

The closest airport with regularly scheduled commercial service is Houston's William P. Hobby Airport, located in southern Houston in adjacent Harris County. The Houston Airport System has stated that Brazoria County is within the primary service area of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, an international airport in Houston in Harris County.

Toll roads
The Brazoria County Toll Road Authority operates toll lanes on TX 288 inside Brazoria County. They connect to the SH 288 Express Toll Lanes in Harris County operated by the Texas Department of Transportation.

History
BCTRA came into existence in December 2003 when it saw that the Houston area needed more roadways and wanted to have a say so about any roads that come into Brazoria County.

Roadway system
The only toll road BCTRA has in operation at this time is the Brazoria County Expressway. Located within the media of SH 288, the expressway begins at County Road 58 in Manvel and is maintained by BCTRA for five miles up to the Harris County line at Clear Creek. The 288 Toll Lanes continue into Harris County (maintained by TxDOT) for ten miles up to I-69/US 59 in Houston. Construction began on the Brazoria County Expressway in late 2016 and was completed on November 16, 2020. Tolls are collected electronically and an EZ Tag, TxTag or TollTag is required for passage.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Brazoria County, Texas


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Clark County, Washington

Clark County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 503,311, making it Washington's fifth-most populous county. Its county seat and largest city is Vancouver. It was the first county in Washington, first named Vancouver County in 1845 before being renamed for William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1849. It was created by the Provisional Government of Oregon in Oregon Country on August 20, 1845, and at that time covered the entire present-day state. Clark County is the third-most-populous county in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.

History
Clark County was created on August 20, 1845, as Vancouver District, named for its town, following the removal of the area from three other districts on July 27, 1844. It included all the land north of the Columbia River, west of the Rocky Mountains, and south of Alaska. On December 21, 1845, the provisional government changed its name to Vancouver County. At that time it stretched from the Columbia River to 54 degrees 40 minutes North Latitude in what is now British Columbia, Canada. On June 15, 1846, the United States Senate approved the present boundary between the U.S. and Canada at the 49th parallel.

On August 13, 1848, President James K. Polk signed an act creating the entire region as the Oregon Territory. On September 3, 1849, the Oregon Territorial Legislature modified the borders again and changed its name to Clarke County in honor of explorer William Clark. At this time it included all of present-day Washington and continued to be divided and subdivided until reaching its present area in 1880. It was not until 1925 that the spelling was corrected to its present form.

In September 1902 the Yacolt Burn, the largest fire in state history, began in neighboring Skamania County and swept west along a 12-mile front to Yacolt, nearly engulfing the town. Salvaging the remaining timber was a lucrative industry for a time.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 656 sqmi, of which 629 sqmi is land and 27 sqmi (4.1%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Washington by land area.

Clark County is surrounded on two sides by the Columbia River and on the north by the North Fork of the Lewis River. The East Fork of the Lewis River and the Washougal River cut across the county. The largest stream arising solely within the county is Salmon Creek, which terminates at Vancouver Lake before eventually flowing into the Columbia River.

Like most of Oregon and Washington south of Puget Sound into the Willamette Valley the landscape and climate of Clark County are determined by its placement between the volcanic Pacific Coast and Cascade Ranges, where glaciation helped form a U-shaped valley which meets the river valley of the Columbia River as it leaves the Columbia River Gorge. Volcanic andisol soils are common, with fertile mollisols in the lower areas. The central and southwest areas of the county are generally flat floodplains, sculpted by torrents of prehistoric Lake Missoula. A series of dramatic floods known as the Missoula Floods took place 15,000–13,000 years ago, as several ice dams melted, forming a series of low steps such as the "Heights", "Mill Plain", "Fourth Plain" and "Fifth Plain". Clark County's Köppen climate classification is "Csb".

Many lakes border the river in the lowlands near Ridgefield, including Vancouver Lake. Eastern and northern Clark County contain forested foothills of the Cascade Mountains, rising to an elevation of 4,000 ft on the border with Skamania County. Larch Mountain is the county's highest free-standing peak.

Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams are all visible from Clark County, and cold winter winds through the Columbia River Gorge often bring freezing rain and a coating of glaze ice or clear ice known locally as a "silver thaw", especially in southeastern areas of the county closest to the gorge. The counterpart to this are warm winds from the southwest known locally as the "Pineapple Express".

Climate
Spring thaws can often swell county waterways, with two of the more destructive floods being those of the Columbia River in June 1894 and May 1948. The 1948 Memorial Day flood almost topped the Interstate Bridge's support piers and completely destroyed nearby Vanport, Oregon. Construction of The Dalles Dam and destruction of Celilo Falls are credited with a decrease in such floods.

Significant windstorms in Clark County include the Columbus Day windstorm of October 12, 1962, and an April 6, 1972, tornado which rated F3 on the Fujita scale, striking a local school. A "Friday the 13th" storm in November 1981 brought winds up to 70 mph, with other storms including the inauguration day storm of January 20, 1993, the Guadalupe Day storm of December 12, 1995 (with winds up to 95 mph at Washougal, Washington) and small tornado on January 10, 2008, which destroyed a boathouse at Vancouver Lake and caused damage to buildings in Hazel Dell before dissolving near Hockinson.

Ecology
Flora and fauna of the region include the normal ecological succession from lowland big leaf maple and western red cedar through Garry oak on up through fire-dependent species such as lodgepole pine and Douglas fir, as well as grand fir, silver fir and other species common to Gifford Pinchot National Forest. In addition to a wide variety of birds including great blue heron, raptors such as barred owl, osprey, red-tailed hawk and bald eagle, corvids (raven, crow, California scrub and Steller's jay)  and others, the native streams are home to various species of salmon and the Vancouver Trout Hatchery. Larger mammals include black-tailed deer, coyote, raccoon, skunk and invasive opossum; with sightings of lynx, bobcat, black bear, cougar and elk not uncommon, especially in the northern parts of the county. Common foods used by the indigenous people such as the Klickitat tribe and Chinook included salmon, huckleberry and Camassia quamash (after which the city of Camas, Washington is named).

Major highways

 * I-5.svg Interstate 5
 * I-205.svg Interstate 205
 * WA-14.svg State Route 14
 * WA-500.svg State Route 500
 * WA-501.svg State Route 501
 * WA-502.svg State Route 502
 * WA-503.svg State Route 503

Former major highway

 * US 99 (1961).svg U.S. Route 99
 * US 830 (1961).svg U.S. Route 830
 * WA-120.svg State Route 120
 * WA-140.svg State Route 140

Adjacent counties

 * Cowlitz County - north
 * Skamania County - east
 * Multnomah County, Oregon - south
 * Columbia County, Oregon - southwest

National protected areas

 * Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (part)
 * Gifford Pinchot National Forest (part)
 * Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
 * Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Economy
Clark County's largest industries include health care, professional and business services, and retail. In 2019, approximately 65,000 Clark County residents commuted to work in Portland, Oregon; approximately 17,000 residents from Oregon commuted to work in Clark County. Although Washington does not have a state income tax, residents who worked in Oregon were required to pay income tax to that state for earnings in Oregon. Clark County residents also cross the Columbia River to shop without sales taxes, which Oregon also lacks; this phenomenon caused up to $5.9 million in estimated lost sales tax revenue for the county government in 2022.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 503,311 people, and 184,173 households were in the county. The population density was 800.8 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 85.2% White, 2.6% African American, 1.2% Native American, 5.4% Asian,1.0% Pacific Islander, and 4.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 11% of the population.

The average household size was 2.67 people per household. 23.0% of the population was under 18, and 5.6% were under 5. 16.3% of the population was over 65. The gender makeup of the county was 50.3% female, and 49.7% male.

The median income for a household was $82,719. The per capita income was $39,371. 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line.

2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 425,363 people, 158,099 households, and 110,672 families residing in the county. The population density was 676.2 /mi2. There were 167,413 housing units at an average density of 266.2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 85.4% white, 4.1% Asian, 2.0% black or African American, 0.9% American Indian, 0.6% Pacific islander, 2.9% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 24.4% were German, 13.1% were Irish, 13.1% were English, 5.7% were Norwegian, and 4.3% were American.

Of the 158,099 households, 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.0% were non-families, and 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age was 36.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $58,262 and the median income for a family was $67,352. Males had a median income of $52,160 versus $38,167 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,828. About 7.8% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 345,238 people, 127,208 households, and 90,953 families residing in the county. The population density was 550 /mi2. There were 134,030 housing units at an average density of 213 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 88.82% White, 1.68% Black or African American, 0.84% Native American, 3.21% Asian, 0.37% Pacific Islander, 1.99% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races. 4.71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.7% were of German, 10.2% English, 8.6% Irish, 8.6% United States and 5.1% Norwegian ancestry. 88.8% spoke only English at home; 3.6% spoke Spanish and 1.9% Russian.

There were 127,208 households, out of which 37.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.70% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 9.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,376, and the median income for a family was $54,016. Males had a median income of $41,337 versus $28,537 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,448. About 6.90% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.70% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

Religion
Clark County is religiously diverse, with no single group comprising 10% of the population. The four groups that exceed 1% are nondenominational Christian with 30,026 members, the Catholic Church with 26,886 members, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 20,793 members, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America with 4,827. The area is also home to the nation's largest population of the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church with between 5,000 and 6,000 members living in the county. This is estimated because the Church doesn't keep membership rolls.

Emergency services
The Clark County Sheriff's Office is the local, county-level law enforcement agency serving Clark County, Washington. The sheriff's office was established in 1849 and is the oldest law enforcement organization in the state of Washington. Sheriff John Horch and Undersheriff James Hansen lead the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

On March 16, 2014, Clark County Fire & Rescue commissioned the Mary Firstenburg, a new fireboat purchased with the financial support from a bequest from Firstenburg's family, and from a FEMA Port Security Grant.

Government and politics
Since 2014, Clark County has had a home rule charter with a council–manager government. The Clark County Council was created in 2014 and has five seats elected by districts of proportional size that are redrawn every 10 years. Prior to the adoption of the home rule charter, the county had a three-member commission. The county manager is the chief executive officer appointed by the council and oversees the administrative departments of the government. Kathleen Otto has been the county manager of Clark County since her appointment to the role in 2021.

, the current elected officials are:

 * Assessor - Peter Van Nortwick (R)
 * Auditor - Greg Kimsey (R)
 * Clerk - Scott Weber (R)
 * Councilors
 * District 1 Glen Yung (NP)
 * District 2 Michelle Belkot (NP)
 * District 3 Karen Bowerman - County Chair (NP)
 * District 4 Gary Medvigy (NP)
 * District 5 Sue Marshall (NP)
 * Prosecuting Attorney - Tony Golik (D)
 * Sheriff - John Horch (NP)
 * Treasurer - Alishia Topper (NP)

Clark County is a swing county in U.S. presidential elections that recently has voted slightly more Republican than the state and nation as a whole. For example, in 2012 President Obama carried Clark County by a few hundred votes representing a fraction of a percent, he ran behind his national showing of a 3% margin. George W. Bush carried the county twice, by 52% to 47% over John Kerry in 2004 and by 49% to 46% over Al Gore in 2000. Clark County usually votes for the winning presidential candidate. It voted for Ronald Reagan twice and for Bill Clinton twice. The last three presidential elections where Clark County did not vote for the national winner were 1968, when it voted for Humphrey over Nixon, and 1988, when it voted for Dukakis over Bush, as well as in 2016 when the county narrowly voted for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over Republican nominee and winner of the election Donald Trump. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden carried the county and significantly improved upon Hillary Clinton's margins and outperformed Trump by five percentage points.

Cities

 * Battle Ground
 * Camas
 * La Center
 * Ridgefield
 * Vancouver (county seat)
 * Washougal
 * Woodland (mostly in Cowlitz County)

Town

 * Yacolt

Census-designated places

 * Amboy
 * Barberton
 * Brush Prairie
 * Cherry Grove
 * Dollars Corner
 * Duluth
 * Felida
 * Fern Prairie
 * Five Corners
 * Hazel Dell
 * Hockinson
 * Lake Shore
 * Lewisville
 * Meadow Glade
 * Minnehaha
 * Mount Vista
 * Orchards
 * Salmon Creek
 * Venersborg
 * Walnut Grove

Unincorporated communities

 * Chelatchie
 * Etna
 * Fargher Lake
 * Hall
 * Heisson
 * Mill Plain
 * Proebstel

Education
School districts include:
 * Battle Ground School District
 * Camas School District
 * Evergreen School District (Clark)
 * Green Mountain School District
 * Hockinson School District
 * La Center School District
 * Ridgefield School District
 * Vancouver Public Schools
 * Washougal School District
 * Woodland School District

State-operated schools:
 * Washington State School for the Blind
 * Washington School for the Deaf

title: Clark County, Washington


text:
Clark County, Nevada

Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. The land area of Clark County is 8061 sqmi, or roughly the size of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,265,461. Most of the county population resides in the Las Vegas Census County Divisions, which has 2,196,623 people as of the 2020 Census. It is by far the most populous county in Nevada, and the 11th-most populous county in the United States. It covers 7% of the state's land area but holds 73% of the state's population, making Nevada the most centralized state in the United States.

History
Las Vegas, the state's most populous city, has been the county seat since its establishment. The county was formed by the Nevada Legislature by splitting off a portion of Lincoln County on February 5, 1909, and was organized on July 1, 1909. The Las Vegas Valley, a 600 sqmi basin, includes Las Vegas and other major cities and communities such as North Las Vegas, Henderson, and the unincorporated community of Paradise.

Native Americans lived in the Las Vegas Valley beginning over 10,000 years ago. Paiutes moved into the area as early as AD 700. Previously part of the Mexican Territory of Alta California, the Clark County lands were subsequently traversed by American beaver trappers. Word of their journeys inspired the New Mexican merchant Antonio Armijo in 1829 to establish the first route for mule trains and herds of livestock from Nuevo Mexico to Alta California through the area, along the Virgin and Colorado Rivers. Called the Armijo Route of the Old Spanish Trail, the route was later modified into the Main Route by the passing merchants, trappers, drovers, Ute raiders and settlers over the years by moving to a more direct route. In Clark County it was northward away from the Colorado to a series of creeks, waterholes and springs like those at Las Vegas, to which John C. Frémont added Frémont's Cutoff on his return from California to Utah in 1844.

What is now Clark County was acquired by the United States during the Mexican–American War, becoming part of the northwestern corner of New Mexico Territory. In 1847, Jefferson Hunt and other Mormon Battalion members returning to Salt Lake City from Los Angeles pioneered a wagon route through the County that became the Mormon Road. In 1849, this road became known as the "Southern Route", the winter route of the California Trail from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles during the California Gold Rush. By the mid-1850s, the route now known as the Salt Lake Road in California, and the California Road in Utah Territory, was a wagon trade route between the two. In the mid-1850s, Mormons established a Mormon Fort at Las Vegas. In the 1860s, Mormon colonies were established along the Virgin and Muddy Rivers.

All of the county was part of Mohave County, Arizona Territory, when that Territory was formed in 1863, before Nevada became a state. In 1865, it became part of Pah-Ute County, Arizona Territory. The part of Pah-Ute County north and west of the Colorado River was assigned to the new State of Nevada in 1866; however, Arizona territory fought the division until 1871. Pah-Ute County became part of Lincoln County and the westernmost part became the southernmost part of Nye County.

Clark County was named for William A. Clark, a Montana copper magnate and Democratic U.S. Senator. Clark was largely responsible for construction of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad through the area, contributing to the region's early development. Clark County is a major tourist destination with 150,000 hotel rooms. The Las Vegas Strip, home to many famous hotel-casinos, is not within the City of Las Vegas limits, but in unincorporated Paradise. It is, however, in the Las Vegas Valley.

Clark County is geographically coextensive with the Las Vegas MSA, a metropolitan statistical area designated by the Office of Management and Budget and used by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies for statistical purposes. Over time and influenced by climate change, droughts in Southern Nevada have been increasing in frequency and severity, putting a further strain on Clark County's and Las Vegas's water security.

Geography
The Colorado River forms the county's southeastern boundary, with Hoover Dam forming Lake Mead along much of its length. The lowest point in the state of Nevada is on the Colorado River just south of Laughlin in Clark County, where it flows out of Nevada into California and Arizona. Greater Las Vegas is a tectonic valley, surrounded by four mountain ranges, with nearby Mount Charleston being the highest elevation at 11918 ft, located to the northwest. Other than the forests on Mount Charleston, the geography in Clark County is a desert. Creosote bushes are the main native vegetation, and the mountains are mostly rocky with little vegetation. The terrain slopes to the south and east. The county has an area of 20879 km2, of which 20438 km2 is land and 441 km2 (2.1%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Lincoln County – north
 * Mohave County, Arizona – east (observes Mountain Time)
 * San Bernardino County, California – south
 * Inyo County, California – northwest
 * Nye County – west

National protected areas

 * Avi Kwa Ame National Monument
 * Desert National Wildlife Refuge (part)
 * Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (part)
 * Lake Mead National Recreation Area (part)
 * Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge
 * Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
 * Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area
 * Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (part)
 * Toiyabe National Forest (part)
 * Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument (part)

Twenty official wilderness areas in Clark County are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Many of these are in, or partially in, one of the preceding protected areas, as shown below. Many are separate entities that are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM):

 * Arrow Canyon Wilderness (BLM)
 * Black Canyon Wilderness (Nevada) (Lake Mead National Recreational Area [NRA])
 * Bridge Canyon Wilderness (Lake Mead NRA)
 * Eldorado Wilderness (Lake Mead NRA / BLM)
 * Ireteba Peaks Wilderness (Lake Mead NRA / BLM)
 * Jimbilnan Wilderness (Lake Mead NRA)
 * Jumbo Springs Wilderness (BLM)
 * La Madre Mountain Wilderness (BLM / Toiyabe National Forest [NF])
 * Lime Canyon Wilderness (BLM)
 * Meadow Valley Range Wilderness (BLM) mostly in Lincoln County, Nevada
 * Mormon Mountains Wilderness (BLM) mostly in Lincoln County, Nevada
 * Mount Charleston Wilderness (Toiyabe NF / BLM)
 * Muddy Mountains Wilderness (BLM / Lake Mead NRA)
 * Nellis Wash Wilderness (Lake Mead NRA)
 * North McCullough Wilderness (part of Sloan Canyon NCA, which is managed by BLM)
 * Pinto Valley Wilderness (Lake Mead NRA)
 * Rainbow Mountain Wilderness (BLM / Toiyabe NF)
 * South McCullough Wilderness (BLM)
 * Spirit Mountain Wilderness (Lake Mead NRA / BLM)
 * Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness (BLM)

Environmental factors
Clark County has diverse desert flora and fauna, including higher-elevation mountain areas, the desert floor, and the Colorado River/Lake Mead ecosystems. Variations in diurnal temperature as well as seasonal swings in temperature create demanding adaptation elements on the species of this county. Population expansion, especially since 1970, has placed additional pressure on species in the area.

Correspondingly, air quality levels prior to the 1960s were in a favorable range, but the proliferation of automobiles with the human population expansion created circumstances where some federal air quality standards were violated starting in the 1980s.

To plan for the wave of development forecast by 1980, Clark County embarked on a regional environmental impact assessment funded by a federal Section 208 program, with Sedway Cooke conducting the planning work and Earth Metrics performing environmental analysis. This endeavor projected population growth, land use changes and environmental impacts.

To prevent the loss of federal funds due to unacceptable dust levels in the Las Vegas valley, in 2003 the Nevada Air Quality Management division (under direction of Clark County officials) created the "Don't Be a Dusthole" campaign. The campaign successfully raised awareness of dust pollution in the Las Vegas Valley, quantifiably reducing pollutants and preserving ongoing federal funding.

The Apex Landfill, at 2200 acre, is the nation's largest landfill. Republic Services owns and operates the landfill.

Earthquake hazards
Nevada is the third most seismically active state in the U.S. (after Alaska and California); the United States Geological Survey has estimated that over the next 50 years, Clark County has a 10–20% chance of a (moment magnitude) M6.0 or greater earthquake occurring within 50 km of Las Vegas.

Demographics

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2000 census
In 2000 there were 512,253 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was above age 64. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.17.

The county population contained 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were over age 64. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,536, and the median income for a family was $59,485. Males had a median income of $35,243 versus $27,077 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,785. About 7.9% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those over age 64.

Large numbers of new residents in the state originate from California.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,951,269 people, 715,365 households, and 467,916 families in the county. The population density was 247.3 PD/sqmi. There were 840,343 housing units at an average density of 106.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 60.9% White, 13.5% Black or African American, 8.7% Asian, 0.7% Pacific islander, 0.7% American Indian, 10.5% from other races, and 5.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 29.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 11.7% were German, 9.1% were Irish, 7.6% were English, 6.3% were Italian, and 2.7% were American.

Of the 715,365 households, 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.6% were non-families, and 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.26. The median age was 35.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $56,258 and the median income for a family was $63,888. Males had a median income of $43,693 versus $35,324 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,422. About 8.7% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The county is home to many gaming-related companies including Golden Entertainment, American Casino & Entertainment Properties, Bally Technologies, Cannery Casino Resorts, The Majestic Star Casino, LLC, Ameristar Casinos, Archon Corporation, Boyd Gaming, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts, DBT Online Inc., Two Plus Two Publishing, Gambler's Book Shop / GBC Press, Station Casinos, Millennium Management Group, Navegante Group, Pinnacle Entertainment and Tropicana Entertainment.

Largest employers
According to data collected by the Research and Analysis Bureau of the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, Clark County's largest employers, both public and private employers, as reported in the fourth quarter of 2012:

30,000 to 39,999 employees 5,000 to 10,000 employees
 * Clark County School District

 * Clark County government
 * Nellis Air Force Base
 * Wynn Las Vegas
 * Bellagio
 * MGM Grand Las Vegas
 * Aria Resort & Casino
 * Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
 * Caesars Palace
 * Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
 * University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2,500 to 4,999

 * The Venetian Las Vegas
 * The Mirage
 * The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
 * University Medical Center of Southern Nevada
 * The Palazzo
 * Encore Las Vegas
 * Flamingo Las Vegas
 * Southwest Airlines
 * City of Las Vegas municipal Government
 * Paris Las Vegas

Gaming areas
The State of Nevada divides the state into several gaming districts. Accordingly, the Clark County is divided into the following reporting districts:
 * Boulder Strip: This region includes 33 casinos on Boulder Highway. Casinos within the Henderson city limits are included as well, such as Green Valley Ranch, Sunset Station, The Pass, and Jokers Wild.
 * Downtown: There are 19 casinos in this reporting area.
 * LV Strip: This region is composed of all the casinos on Las Vegas Boulevard, from The Stratosphere at the north end to Mandalay Bay on the south end. Also included are resorts near this area, such as The Rio, South Point, and the Virgin; and Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran Airport).
 * North Las Vegas: This region has 11 casinos and includes the Cannery, Jerry's Nugget, and the Santa Fe Station.
 * Laughlin: The casinos in Laughlin.
 * Mesquite: The casinos in Mesquite.
 * Balance of County: As of 2008, there are 66 casinos in this category that includes casinos at Lake Las Vegas, Jean, Primm, the Railroad Pass and Hacienda casinos, along with other casinos that do not fit any other category such as Arizona Charlie's Decatur, Gold Coast, The Orleans, The Palms, Suncoast, Rampart, and Red Rock Resort Spa and Casino

Government
The Clark County Commission consists of seven members who are elected to serve staggered four-year terms in biennial partisan elections. The commission members elect a chairman, who chairs their meetings. A hired county manager handles day-to-day operations under direction of the commission. The county's unincorporated towns also have appointed boards that provide advice to the commission.

The county operates out of the Clark County Government Center in the City of Las Vegas. The building is unusual in shape, and includes an outdoor amphitheater for concerts and other events.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department provides most law enforcement services in the county, including operation of the county's central jail, the Clark County Detention Center (CCDC). The present department was created in 1973 when the Clark County Sheriff's Department merged with the Las Vegas Police Department.

Other entities with police forces include University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the Clark County School District, and cities such as Henderson, Mesquite, Boulder City and North Las Vegas. The Clark County Park Police is responsible for all of the parks operated by the county and some selected special venues, such as the Clark County Amphitheater, Clark County Archery Range, and the Desert Rose Golf Course.

The Regional Justice Center replaced the Clark County Courthouse in 2005, and is about 3 blocks from downtown Fremont Street, at 200 Lewis Avenue.

Courts
The Clark County Justice Courts are divided into eleven townships. Each elects its own justices of the peace for limited jurisdiction cases and a constable. They do not correspond with city boundaries. The Las Vegas Justice Court Township the city of Las Vegas  and the unincorporated towns of Blue Diamond, Cactus Springs, Enterprise, Indian Springs, Mount Charleston, Paradise, Spring Valley, Summerlin South, Sunrise Manor (partially in North Las Vegas Township), Whitney (partially in Henderson Township) and Winchester. The city of Las Vegas has a separate municipal court for traffic and criminal misdemeanor offenses that occur within the city's incorporated boundaries.

The Clark County Marshal's Office provides security for Clark County courts. The Marshal is head of the office, while Deputy Marshals act as bailiffs for the court.

Voter registration
According to the Secretary of State's office, Independents comprise a plurality of registered voters in Clark County.

Politics
With nearly three-quarters of Nevada's population, Clark County plays a significant role in determining statewide Nevada elections as well the winner of the state's electoral votes in presidential elections. At the presidential level, the county, like most urban counties nationwide, leans Democratic. The last Republican to carry the county was George H. W. Bush in 1988. However, it is somewhat less Democratic than many other urban counties; the GOP candidate has received at least 39 percent of the vote in every election since 1996. This Democratic trend predates the county's explosive growth in the second half of the 20th century. Republican presidential candidates have only won the county six times from 1912 to the present day, all coming in national landslides where the Republican won over 400 electoral votes.

At the statewide level, however, the county is more of a swing county, with several Republican gubernatorial candidates and U.S. Senators winning the county since the late 1980s. The last Republican senator to win the county was John Ensign in his 2006 victory, even as Jim Gibbons lost it in his gubernatorial win over Dina Titus that year. Both Kenny Guinn and Brian Sandoval carried the county in both gubernatorial terms they won, however.

In 2018, Dean Heller carried 15 of Nevada's 17 county-level jurisdictions in his bid for a second full term in the U. S. Senate. However, Democratic challenger Jacky Rosen won Clark by over 92,000 votes, almost double her statewide margin of 48,000 votes. In that year's gubernatorial election, Democrat Steve Sisolak lost 15 out of 17 county-level jurisdictions, but won Clark by enough of a margin to get the victory. Since 2008, the Democratic presidential candidate has won Clark by more than enough votes to carry Nevada.

The city of Las Vegas itself leans Democratic, as do the communities of Paradise, Spring Valley and Enterprise. The city of North Las Vegas and the communities of Sunrise Manor, Winchester and Whitney are more strongly Democratic, while the city of Henderson and the Summerlin South community have a Republican lean. Boulder City, where gambling is prohibited, leans Republican. Outside Las Vegas Valley, the county leans Republican.

Regional agencies
The Clark County Regional Flood Control District (CCRFCD) was created in 1985 by the Nevada Legislature allowing Clark County to provide broad solutions to flooding problems.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada operates the RTC Transit system, and does planning for most major roadways.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority is a multi-agency group that manages the water distribution for the Las Vegas Valley.

The Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee manages and protects the Las Vegas Wash.

Since 1999 the group has added more the 15,000 plants to stabilize the wash's banks and restore and expand the wetlands surrounding the wash. As part of the effort to restore the wash to a more natural state, they have removed more than 500000 lb of trash.

State government
The Grant Sawyer State Office Building, which houses many branches of state government, is within the City of Las Vegas.

The Nevada Department of Corrections operates three prisons within Clark County. High Desert State Prison, a medium-maximum prison, and the Southern Desert Correctional Center, a medium security prison, are both near Indian Springs, Nevada.

The Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center, originally called Southern Nevada Women's Correctional Facility, opened in North Las Vegas on September 1, 1997. It was built and operated by Corrections Corporation of America. On October 1, 2004, the Department of Corrections took direct control of the facility. It houses the female death row.

Education
The Clark County School District serves all of Clark County, with 228 elementary schools, 59 middle schools, and 54 high schools being the fifth largest in the country. Student enrollment in 2014 was 324,093.

Colleges serving the area are University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), College of Southern Nevada, and Nevada State College.

Public transit
Public transit service throughout Clark County is provided by RTC Transit, which is a subsidiary of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. RTC Transit operates The Deuce Bus rapid transit service between Downtown Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Strip.

Major highways
U.S. Route 93 Business (Boulder City, Nevada) U.S. Route 95 Business (Las Vegas)
 * I-11 (NV).svg Interstate 11
 * I-15 (NV).svg Interstate 15
 * I-215 (NV).svg Interstate 215
 * US 93.svg U.S. Route 93
 * Business plate.svg
 * US 95.svg U.S. Route 95
 * Business plate.svg
 * Nevada 146.svg State Route 146
 * Nevada 147.svg State Route 147
 * Nevada 156.svg State Route 156
 * Nevada 157.svg State Route 157
 * Nevada 158.svg State Route 158
 * Nevada 159.svg State Route 159
 * Nevada 160.svg State Route 160
 * Nevada 161.svg State Route 161
 * Nevada 163.svg State Route 163
 * Nevada 164.svg State Route 164
 * Nevada 165.svg State Route 165
 * Nevada 168.svg State Route 168
 * Nevada 169.svg State Route 169
 * Nevada 170.svg State Route 170
 * Nevada 171.svg State Route 171
 * Nevada 172.svg State Route 172
 * Nevada 173.svg State Route 173
 * Nevada 562.svg State Route 562
 * Nevada 564.svg State Route 564
 * Nevada 573.svg State Route 573
 * Nevada 574.svg State Route 574
 * Nevada 578.svg State Route 578
 * Nevada 579.svg State Route 579
 * Nevada 582.svg State Route 582
 * Nevada 592.svg State Route 592
 * Nevada 593.svg State Route 593
 * Nevada 595.svg State Route 595
 * Nevada 596.svg State Route 596
 * Nevada 599.svg State Route 599
 * Nevada 602.svg State Route 602
 * Nevada 604.svg State Route 604
 * Nevada 610.svg State Route 610
 * Nevada 612.svg State Route 612
 * Nevada 613.svg State Route 613
 * Clark County Route 215 NV.svg County Route 215

Rail
Clark County previously had Amtrak service on the Desert Wind, which served Las Vegas station until it stopped service in 1997. Las Vegas and Laughlin are still served by Amtrak Thruway service which connects to the Southwest Chief.
 * Las Vegas Monorail

Resort trams

 * Aria Express
 * Mandalay Bay Tram
 * The Mirage-Treasure Island Tram

Communities
Bracketed number refers to location on map, right

Cities

 * Boulder City (21)
 * Henderson (19)
 * Las Vegas (10) (county seat)
 * Mesquite (4)
 * North Las Vegas (9)

Census-designated places

 * Blue Diamond (18)
 * Bunkerville (5)
 * Cal-Nev-Ari (23)
 * Enterprise (17)
 * Goodsprings (20)
 * Indian Springs (6)
 * Laughlin (24)
 * Moapa Town (1)
 * Moapa Valley (3)
 * Mount Charleston (7)
 * Nelson
 * Paradise (15)
 * Sandy Valley (16)
 * Searchlight (22)
 * Spring Valley (13)
 * Summerlin South (12)
 * Sunrise Manor (11)
 * Whitney (formerly East Las Vegas) (26)
 * Winchester (14)

Air Force bases

 * Creech Air Force Base
 * Nellis Air Force Base

Unincorporated communities

 * Arden (former CDP)
 * Cactus Springs
 * Cottonwood Cove
 * Coyote Springs (planned)
 * Crystal (former CDP)
 * Fort Mojave Indian Reservation (former CDP) (25)
 * Glendale (former CDP)
 * Jean
 * Logandale
 * Las Vegas Indian Colony (8)
 * Moapa River Indian Reservation (2)
 * Mountain Springs
 * Overton
 * Primm
 * Roach
 * Sloan
 * Summerlin
 * Sutor
 * Vegas Creek (former CDP)

title: Clark County, Nevada


text:
Talk:Cologne

"Reconstruction of Cologne in the 17th century"
That picture caption would be clearer if written instead as: "Reconstruction of 17th-century Cologne". (Assuming, of course, that that is the intended meaning.) Toddcs (talk) 19:33, 7 July 2022 (UTC)

Connect history of Jews in Cologne?
I believe a link should be made to the Wikipedia page History of the Jews in Cologne. In the World War II section of this article, the concentration camp in Cologne isn’t even mentioned. Thoughts? Jhurley85 (talk) 13:46, 11 August 2022 (UTC)
 * I've gone ahead and added a link to the history of Jews in Cologne article in the religion section. Graham87 (talk) 14:42, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

An error here surely
The Allies dropped 44,923.2 tons of bombs on the city during World War II, destroying 61% of its built up area. During the Bombing of Cologne in World War II, Cologne endured 262 air raids[21] by the Western Allies, which caused approximately 20,000 civilian casualties and almost completely wiped out the central part of the city. During the night of 31 May 1942, Cologne was the target of "Operation Millennium", the first 1,000 bomber raid by the Royal Air Force in World War II. 1,046 heavy bombers attacked their target with 1,455 tons of explosives, approximately two-thirds of which were incendiary.[22] This raid lasted about 75 minutes, destroyed 600 acres (243 ha) of built-up area (61%)

So it was either 61% of the built up area during the entire war or during a single 1,000 bomber raid. I'm inclined to think that the effect of a single night's bombing would not be recorded separate to any other damage with that kind of accuracy and that 1 raid of around 2% of the total bombs dropped would not be more devastating than 261 other raids.90.242.145.106 (talk) 11:49, 12 March 2023 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 12:37, 23 January 2023 (UTC)
 * North Rhine-Westphalia location map 01.svg

Population
Populaton of Cologne in 2023 1.086.138. The figure of 3.1 million for the urban area includes Cologne and Bonn plus neighbouring counties; it is not a proper value for Cologne. The populaton including the suburbs (from Kerpen in the West to Overath in the East) is about 1.75 million.--95.91.214.121 (talk) 12:46, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:Cologne