What is the Tarrant County Commissioner’s Court and when does it meet?

Despite the name, Commissioners Court is not a judicial court but is the general governing body of the county. The Court is made up of the four county commissioners — each elected from one of the county’s four precincts — and the county judge who is elected county-wide and presides over the full Court. Each holds a staggered term of four years.

The four county commissioners have both county-wide and precinct responsibilities. They set the tax rate and adopt the county budget. Each commissioner is responsible for construction and maintenance of county facilities, bridges, and roads within his or her precinct. Commissioners are responsive to the particular needs of people living in their areas of the county. In Tarrant County, each member of the Commissioner’s Court serves as a liaison to a particular board or agency of the county such as the Sheriff’s Office, Housing Finance Corporation, or Hospital District.

The Commissioner’s Court meets at 10:00 a.m. every Tuesday in the Commissioners Courtroom on the 5th floor of the County Administrative Building, 101 East Weatherford Street in Fort Worth. All meetings are open to the public and citizens are encouraged to attend. Copies of the agendas can be obtained at the Commissioners Court office or through their webpage at www.tarrantcounty.com. For more information, contact the Commissioners Court at 817-884-1234.

Who is my County Commissioner and how do I contact her?

Arlington is located in Tarrant County Precinct 2. The County Commissioner can assist with items such as, but not limited to, county roads, health services, and county taxes.

Marti VanRavenswaay is currently the County Commissioner for Precinct 2. Commissioner VanRavenswaay can be reached by writing to her at 700 East Abram Street Suite 304, Arlington, Texas 76010 or calling her at 817-548-3900. Her email address is commish@tarrantcounty.com.

For information on other county commissioners, contact the Commissioner’s Court at 817-884-1234 or visit the Court’s website at www.tarrantcounty.com.

How do I go about speaking before the Commissioner’s Court?

The Commissioners Court is an open forum and you may speak on any topic. To speak before the Commissioners Court, you must fill out an Audience Participation Form prior to the Court going into session at 10:00 a.m. The forms are located in front of the Commissioners Courtroom, 100 East Weatherford Street, on the 5th floor, in Fort Worth. Completed forms should be returned to the Commissioners Court Secretary who will then forward them to the Judge.

How do I register to vote?

A resident of Arlington may register to vote in local, state, and national elections by completing a voters registration card and returning it to the Tarrant County Voter Registrars Office. You must be registered 30 days prior to an election in order to vote. Please allow enough time to send your registration card in prior to an election.

Voters registration cards can be obtained at the Voter Registrars Office located at 100 East Weatherford Street, Room B90, Fort Worth, or call them at 817-884-1115 and they will mail you a card. Voter’s registration cards are also available at the Southeast Tarrant County Sub-courthouse in Arlington, 700 East Abram Street Suite 304, Arlington, Texas 76010 - County Commissioner’s Office or call them at 817-548-3900.

Voters registration forms may also be available at your local post office or the City of Arlington, City Secretary’s Office, located at 101 West Abram Street, 1st Floor.

How do I find out where I vote?

Your voters registration card will list your voting precinct. A list of locations is usually printed in the newspaper prior to the election, or you may contact the Tarrant County Voter Registrars Office at 817-831-6484. Give them your address and they can give you your voting precinct, or visit www.tarrantcounty.com.

Where can I get more information on Tarrant County?

A guide to the departments and services provided by Tarrant County government titled "A to Z," is available through the Tarrant County Administrator’s Office. For more information on obtaining this booklet contact the Tarrant County Administrator’s Office at 817-884-1267 or 100 East Weatherford Street, Suite 404, Fort Worth, Texas 76196.

Who are my Federal and State Representatives and how do I contact them?

A current list of all Federal and State representatives, and all other elected officials representing Tarrant County is available on the Tarrant County website, www.tarrantcounty.com , under the FAQs link.

Your National Congressional District numbers are listed on your voter registration card. To find out who your representatives are, contact the Tarrant County Voter Registrar’s Office at 8817-831-6484. You can also access this information from the Texas Legislature’s website at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/.