A jurisdiction is a government unit with legal authority over a defined area and subject, such as a nation, state, county, city, school district, or special district. Most people live inside several jurisdictions at once, each with its own powers, budget, and election calendar. The U.S. Census Bureau counted 91,438 local governments in 2025, and knowing which one decides a question is the first step to acting on it.
Definition
The site glossary defines a jurisdiction as a government unit with legal authority over a defined area and subject, and notes that people live inside several jurisdictions at once (see the short entry in the glossary). The Census Bureau’s definition of a government sets the test for which units count. An entity must have three characteristics: “existence as an organized entity,” “governmental character,” and “substantial autonomy”.1 Governments “typically have a popularly-elected governing board, levy taxes, and provide a service to the public within a specific geographic area”.1
The Census Bureau recognizes five types of local government: county, municipal, township, special district, and school district. The first three are general-purpose governments; the last two are special-purpose.1
Origin and history
No single plan produced the layered structure; each state’s constitution and laws define which local governments may exist and what they may do, which is why the Census Bureau publishes individual state descriptions. The Census of Governments, conducted “every 5 years (years ending in ‘2’ and ‘7’),” counts them.1 The Bureau reports that counts “have remained consistent at approximately 90,000 since 2007”.1
How jurisdictions are counted and used
The Census Bureau’s most recent figures:1
| Type | 2022 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| County governments | 3,031 | 3,031 |
| Municipal governments | 19,491 | 19,489 |
| Township governments | 16,214 | 16,184 |
| Independent school districts | 12,546 | 12,535 |
| Special district governments | 39,555 | 40,199 |
| Total local governments | 90,837 | 91,438 |
The Bureau attributes the 2022 to 2025 increase to growth in special districts in four states: Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, and Texas.1 Some units do not count as separate governments: “dependent school systems are classified as agencies of other governments”.1
In practice, jurisdiction determines three things for a resident: which officials represent them, which taxes they pay, and which contests appear on their ballot. It also determines eligibility, because residence places a voter in specific districts.
Hypothetical example. One household may live in a state, a county, a city, an independent school district, a fire protection district, and a water district. Each has its own board or council, its own budget, and its own contests on the ballot. A resident who ranks schools as a top priority is speaking to the school district; one who ranks water reliability is speaking to the water district, which may hold its elections on a different schedule.
Common confusions and neighboring terms
- Jurisdiction vs. district. A district is often an electoral subdivision (a council district) of a jurisdiction rather than a separate government. A special district is a government in its own right.
- Jurisdiction vs. apportionment. Apportionment divides seats among jurisdictions; districting draws lines within them.
- Jurisdiction vs. authority over a subject. A city may cover an area but lack power over a subject, such as schools run by an independent school district.
- Jurisdiction vs. community. A neighborhood or region people identify with may span or split jurisdictions.
How My Vote Forward uses the term
My Vote Forward ties every proposal to a responsible authority, because a priority or opinion is only actionable when it reaches the jurisdiction with power over the subject. The framework’s Jurisdictions chapter explains how overlapping authorities divide responsibility, and the Governance hub covers how the framework itself would be governed. Demo communities and their jurisdictions are fictional.
What My Vote Forward can and cannot do here
My Vote Forward can explain which kinds of governments decide which kinds of questions and show a proposal’s responsible authority. It cannot guarantee that every local government in a given place is listed, because local structures differ by state and change over time, as the Census counts show. It cannot make any jurisdiction act on a result.
Unresolved questions
- How should priorities be reported when a subject is split across several jurisdictions, such as transport run partly by a city and partly by a regional district?
- Should participants see a list of every jurisdiction they live in, and how could it be kept accurate?
- How should the framework handle special districts whose boards are appointed rather than elected?
Sources
- Mercera Silva and Chris Wintemute, U.S. Census Bureau, Government Organization Summary Report: 2022 and 2025, released May 2026. census.gov/…
