Editing Benton County, Indiana (section)

==Government==
{{see also|Government of Indiana}}
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the [[Constitution of Indiana]] and the [[Indiana Code]]. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government, controlling spending and revenue collection. Representatives, elected to staggered four-year terms from county districts, determine salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.<ref name=inc3623>{{cite web|author=Indiana Code|author-link=Indiana Code|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar2/ch3.html|title=Title 36, Article 2, Section 3|access-date=September 16, 2008|publisher=Government of Indiana|archive-date=October 5, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005194234/http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar2/ch3.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=inc2102>{{cite web|author=Indiana Code|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf|title=Title 2, Article 10, Section 2|access-date=September 16, 2008|publisher=Government of Indiana|archive-date=October 29, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029030838/http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2010, the county budgeted approximately $5&nbsp;million for the district's schools and $2.8&nbsp;million for other county operations and services, for a total annual budget of approximately $7.8&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|author=State of Indiana Department of Local Government Finance|title=2010 Budget Order (Benton County)|url=http://in.gov/dlgf/files/BudgetOrder_2010_BentonCounty.pdf|access-date=February 19, 2011|archive-date=July 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721043111/http://in.gov/dlgf/files/BudgetOrder_2010_BentonCounty.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Board of Commissioners is the county's executive body. They are elected countywide, in staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as board president. The commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue and managing day-to-day functions of the county government.<ref name=inc3623/><ref name=inc2102/>

The county maintains a [[small claims court]] that can handle some civil cases. The court judge is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level [[circuit court]].<ref name=inc2102/>

The county has several other elected offices, including [[sheriff]], [[coroner]], [[auditor]], [[treasurer]], [[recorder of deeds|recorder]], [[surveying|surveyor]] and circuit [[court clerk]]. They are elected to four-year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare [[political party|party]] affiliations and be residents of the county.<ref name=inc2102/>

Each township has a [[Indiana Township Trustee|trustee]] who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties.<ref name=TD/> The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://unitedtownships.org/?page_id=95|title=Government|publisher=United Township Association of Indiana|access-date=January 6, 2011}}</ref>

Benton County is in [[Indiana's 4th Congressional District]], represented by [[Jim Baird (American politician)|Jim Baird]] in the [[United States Congress]]. It is part of [[Indiana Senate]] district 6<ref>{{cite web
  |url=http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/3006.htm
  |title=Indiana Senate Districts
  |publisher=State of Indiana
  |access-date=January 23, 2011
}}</ref> and [[Indiana House of Representatives]] district 13.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://iga.in.gov/information/house_district_map/|title=''House District Map 2020'' (accessed 4 July 2020)}}</ref> It had previously been part of House District 15.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/3005.htm|title=Indiana House Districts|publisher=State of Indiana|access-date=January 23, 2011
}}</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Benton County, Indiana|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 11, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,873|1,010|71|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,007|1,009|99|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,579|860|249|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,329|1,159|90|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,183|1,563|71|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,797|1,135|60|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,441|1,328|105|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,947|1,311|642|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|2,030|1,221|1,072|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,698|1,349|22|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,281|1,357|24|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,189|1,520|254|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|3,093|2,071|70|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,703|1,566|20|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|3,326|1,854|406|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,886|2,940|5|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,626|2,399|7|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|4,004|1,961|9|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,125|1,815|17|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|3,224|2,317|29|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,621|2,065|27|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,675|2,689|20|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,989|3,211|131|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,433|3,496|54|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,360|2,368|28|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|3,250|2,104|236|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,900|2,098|83|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,872|1,502|82|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,030|1,425|931|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,936|1,566|118|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|2,098|1,470|139|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|2,032|1,563|101|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,998|1,582|44|Indiana}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|1,617|1,391|174|Indiana}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|1,626|1,425|65|Indiana}}