Newly elected Democrat Lina Hidalgo is preparing to take on her new job as Harris County judge after unseating Ed Emmett.
Emmett, who had served Harris County for 11 years, will hand the seat to Hidalgo in January, but what exactly is the role of the Harris County Judge?
ROLE OF THE COUNTY JUDGE:
Once elected as county judge, the judge becomes the presiding officer and voting member of the Commissioners Court.
The Harris County judge has multiple duties, and the judge is also the county's director of emergency management.
Other duties include:
As Director of Emergency Management, the Harris County Judge is also in charge of helping prepare and protect residents from the effects of disasters.
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QUALIFICATIONS TO RUN FOR COUNTY JUDGE