Editing Brazoria County, Texas (section)

== Government and politics==

=== 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.<ref name=HardyBlackCongressman/>
In 2022 most major government officials were white.<ref name=HardyBlackCongressman/>

==== United States Congress ====
{| class=wikitable
|-
! colspan=2 align=center valign=bottom | '''Senators'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Name'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Party'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''First Elected'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Level'''
|-
|bgcolor="red"|&nbsp;
| Senate Class 1
| [[John Cornyn]]
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 2002
| Senior Senator
|-
|bgcolor="red"|&nbsp;
| Senate Class 2
| [[Ted Cruz]]
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 2012
| Junior Senator
|-
! colspan=2 align=center valign=bottom | '''Representatives'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Name'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Party'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''First Elected'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Area(s) of Brazoria County Represented'''
|-
|bgcolor="red"|&nbsp;
| District 14
| [[Randy Weber]]
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 2012
| Central and southern areas ([[Alvin, Texas|Alvin]]), [[Lake Jackson, Texas|Lake Jackson]], [[Angleton, Texas|Angleton]], [[Freeport, Texas|Freeport]]), also part of ([[Galveston County, Texas|Galveston County]]) 
|-
|bgcolor="red"|&nbsp;
| District 22
| [[Troy Nehls]]
| [[Republican (United States)|Republican]]
| 2020
| Northern areas ([[Pearland, Texas|Pearland]]), Northwest areas ([[Manvel, Texas|Manvel]]), also parts of [[Harris County, Texas|Harris]] and [[Galveston County, Texas|Galveston]] counties
|}

=== Texas Legislature ===

==== Texas Senate ====
{| class=wikitable
|-
! colspan=2 align=center valign=bottom | '''District'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Name'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Party'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''First Elected'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Area(s) of Brazoria County Represented'''
|-
|bgcolor="red"|&nbsp;
| 11
| [[Mayes Middleton ]]
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 1999
| Northern and central areas
|-
|bgcolor="red"|&nbsp;
| 17
| [[Joan Huffman]]
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 2008
| Southern areas, Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula (Galveston County)
|}

==== Texas House of Representatives ====
{| class=wikitable
|-
! colspan=2 align=center valign=bottom | '''District'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Name'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Party'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''First Elected'''
! align=center valign=bottom | '''Area(s) of Brazoria County Represented'''
|-
|bgcolor="red"|&nbsp;
| 25
| [[Cody Vasut]]
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 2020
| Lake Jackson, Angleton, Freeport
|-
|bgcolor="red"|&nbsp;
| 29
| [[Ed Thompson (Texas politician)|Ed Thompson]]
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 2008
| Pearland, Alvin, Manvel
|}

Pearland native [[Kyle Kacal]], a Republican from [[College Station, Texas|College Station]], holds the District 12 state House seat based in [[Brazos County, Texas|Brazos]] and four neighboring counties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/138318/kyle-kacal#.Uwq2zcuPIfg|title=Kyle Kacal's Biography|publisher=votesmart.org|access-date=February 23, 2014}}</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Brazoria County, Texas|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=July 19, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|95,867|63,976|2,203|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|90,433|62,228|2,323|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|72,791|43,200|5,190|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|70,862|34,421|1,456|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|67,515|36,480|945|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|63,662|28,904|682|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|53,445|24,883|1,691|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|36,392|22,959|6,287|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|30,384|21,861|19,222|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|34,028|23,436|1,617|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|39,166|18,609|234|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|27,614|18,253|1,677|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|19,475|21,711|558|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|21,045|11,350|37|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|10,631|11,439|8,033|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|8,477|15,917|103|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|10,880|10,561|264|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|9,536|7,137|208|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|8,360|8,386|15|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|2,133|4,783|1,447|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|850|5,543|1,298|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|799|3,781|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|462|2,284|39|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|617|2,948|11|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,588|1,086|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,114|1,761|119|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,235|1,184|186|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|581|1,033|114|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|263|746|374|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenHead|place=Brazoria County, Texas|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Texas by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/texas-senate-results}}</ref>}}
<!-- U.S. SenRow should be {{U.S. SenRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|90,208|67,075|4,163|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenFoot}}

===Law enforcement and jails===
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname      = Brazoria County Sheriff's Office
| commonname      =
| abbreviation    = BCSO
| patch           = TX - Brazoria County Sheriff.jpg
| flag            =
| badge           =
| motto           =
| mottotranslated =
| formedyear      = 1836<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.brazoria-county.com/sheriff/indexE.asp |title=Brazoria County - Sheriff's Office |access-date=June 25, 2009 |archive-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716000933/http://www.brazoria-county.com/sheriff/indexE.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| preceding1      =
| employees       =
| budget          =
| governingbody   =
| constitution1   =
| police          = Yes
| local           = Yes
| headquarters    = [[Angleton, Texas]]
| sworn           =
| unsworn         =
| electeetype     = Sheriff
| minister1name   = Leonard "Bo" Stallman
| chief1name      =
| chief1position  =
| unitname        =
| officetype      =
| officename      =
| stationtype     =
| stations        =
| boat1type       =
| boats1          =
| aircraft1type   =
| aircraft1       =
| website         = http://www.brazoria-county.com/sheriff/
| footnotes       =
}}

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.<ref>"[http://www.brazoria-county.com/sheriff/index.asp Sheriff's Office] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915081444/http://www.brazoria-county.com/sheriff/index.asp |date=September 15, 2008 }}." Brazoria County. Accessed September 13, 2008.</ref>

[[File:ClemensUnitBrazoriaCoTX.jpg|thumb|[[Clemens Unit]], one of several prisons in Brazoria County]]
The [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]] (TDCJ) operates six state prisons for men and its Region III office in [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] Brazoria County.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/reg3.htm Region III Director's Office] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125212504/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/reg3.htm |date=January 25, 2010 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on January 8, 2010.</ref> As of 2007,1,495 full-time correctional job positions were in the county.<ref name="CentralUnitprelim">Lowman, John. "[http://thefacts.com/news/article_9f28cbe2-031e-5671-ba03-74a3dcf32417.html Talk of prison move preliminary]." ''[[Brazosport Facts]]''. Wednesday June 6, 2007. Retrieved on May 9, 2010.</ref> In 1995,<!--Woodman opened in 1997--> of the counties in Texas, Brazoria had the second-highest number of state prisons and jails, after [[Walker County, Texas|Walker County]].<ref name="Horswellhard">Horswell, Cindy. "[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1995_1283149 For hard-hit economy of Liberty County, crime officially pays]." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Thursday June 29, 1995. A30. Retrieved on July 23, 2010.</ref> In 2003, a total of 2,572 employees were employed at the six TDCJ facilities.<!--Expand - and how many prisoners are held here? --><ref name="TDCJOvertime">Isensee, Bridie. [http://thefacts.com/news/article_8837df5d-1d77-50b7-b5f7-504d314bb5f0.html "TDCJ makes overtime changes"], ''[[Brazosport Facts]]'', August 13, 2003, Retrieved May 9, 2010.</ref> The TDCJ units are:
*[[Clemens Unit]],<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/cn.htm CLEMENS (CN)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725200949/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/cn.htm |date=2010-07-25 }}." TDCJ. Accessed September 12, 2008.</ref> nearBrazoria<ref name="Evac">Staff and Wire Reports. "[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/topstory2/3363238.html Parts of Houston join evacuation]," ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'', September 21, 2005, Retrieved on May 10, 2010.</ref>
*[[Memorial Unit]] (formerly Darrington Unit), near [[Rosharon, Texas|Rosharon]] - The [[Windham School District (Texas)|Windham School District]] Region III office is within the unit.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/da.htm DARRINGTON (DA)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725201116/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/da.htm |date=2010-07-25 }}." TDCJ. Accessed September 12, 2008.</ref>
(The following 3 are co-located in [[Otey, Texas|Otey]],<ref>"[http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/excerpts/extrufir.html Table of Contents and Excerpt, Trulson and Marquart, First Available Cell]." ''[[University of Texas Press]]''. Retrieved on July 16, 2010.</ref> near Rosharon.<ref name="Evac"/>)
*[[Ramsey Unit]] - The unit is co-located with Stringfellow and Terrell. The TDCJ Region III Maintenance Headquarters is within this unit.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/r1.htm RAMSEY (R1)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821230141/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/r1.htm |date=August 21, 2008 }}." TDCJ. Accessed September 12, 2008.</ref>
*[[Stringfellow Unit]], near Rosharon - The unit is co-located with Ramsey and Terrell.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/r2.htm STRINGFELLOW (R2)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821225947/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/r2.htm |date=2008-08-21 }}." TDCJ. Accessed September 12, 2008.</ref> The unit was originally named Ramsey II Prison Unit.<ref>Tompkins, John. "[http://thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=639ef8125c2ce3a7 Ramsey unit renamed]." ''[[Brazosport Facts]]''. November 10, 2006. Retrieved on December 7, 2009.</ref>
*[[C. T. Terrell Unit]] - The unit is co-located with Ramsey and Stringfellow.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/r3.htm C. T. TERRELL (R3)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725201437/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/r3.htm |date=2010-07-25 }}." TDCJ. Accessed September 12, 2008.</ref> It was originally known as the Ramsey III Unit.<ref>Timms, Ed. "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EDB04901F63509A&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Uneasy about death row, Terrell wants name off unit Prison expected to be renamed]." ''[[The Dallas Morning News]]''. July 14, 2001. Retrieved on May 9, 2010. "Another prison the Ramsey III unit in Brazoria County probably will be renamed for Mr Terrell".</ref>

In 2007, TDCJ officials said discussions to move the [[Central Unit]] from [[Sugar Land, Texas|Sugar Land]] to Brazoria County were preliminary.<ref name="CentralUnitprelim"/>

Former units:
*[[Retrieve Unit]] (later Wayne Scott Unit), near [[Angleton, Texas|Angleton]].<ref name="TDCJOvertime"/><ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/rv.htm SCOTT (RV)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924072708/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/rv.htm |date=2008-09-24 }}." TDCJ. Accessed September 12, 2008.</ref> - Main prison closed in 2020<ref name=McCartymainclosing>{{cite web|last=McCarty|first=Maddy|url=https://thefacts.com/news/article_8bb7d704-50a4-5901-8ab1-a754807979a2.html|title=TDCJ main Wayne Scott unit closing|newspaper=[[The Brazosport Facts]]|place=[[Clute, Texas]]|date=October 30, 2020|accessdate=February 19, 2023}}</ref>