Who Runs Bowie County? A Guide to Your Local Government
Who Runs
Bowie County?
A plain-language guide to Bowie County, Texas government — who holds power, what each office actually does, and how you can take part.
Bowie County at a glance
What Bowie County government does
In Texas, a county is an arm of state government that delivers services close to home. Bowie County is responsible for things residents touch all the time, including:
- Setting the county budget and the county property tax rate.
- Building and maintaining county roads and bridges.
- Running the county jail and patrolling areas outside city limits.
- The courts, prosecutors and the justice system.
- Keeping public records — property deeds, marriage licenses and court files.
- Collecting property taxes, registering vehicles, and handling voter registration.
- Running elections.
Cities such as Texarkana, Nash and Wake Village run their own police, water and zoning. The county handles countywide services and the areas outside city limits.
The Commissioners Court: who runs the county
Despite the name, the Commissioners Court is not a courtroom — it is the county’s governing body, closer to a county-wide city council. It is made up of the County Judge, elected countywide, and four County Commissioners, each elected from one of four geographic precincts. Together they adopt the budget, set the property tax rate, approve spending and contracts, and oversee county departments. Each commissioner is also responsible for the roads and bridges in their own precinct.
The County Judge
The county judge is the presiding officer of the Commissioners Court and the county’s chief administrator. In Texas, the county judge can also handle some legal matters — such as probate and mental-health cases — in the separate constitutional county court. The current county judge is Bobby Howell.
Your county commissioners (as of June 2026)
County offices are partisan and elected to four-year terms. Several Bowie County seats — including County Judge and the Precinct 2 and 4 commissioners — are on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot, so officeholders can change.
Want to weigh in?
The Commissioners Court meets at the Bowie County Courthouse, 710 James Bowie Dr., New Boston (second floor). Meetings are open to the public, and the county posts a Public Participation Form for residents who want to speak. Confirm the current meeting day and time, and read upcoming agendas, on the Commissioners Court page.
Law and justice
A large share of county government is the justice system — law enforcement, prosecutors and the courts.
- Sheriff (Jeff Neal) — the county’s chief law enforcement officer. The Sheriff’s Office patrols areas outside city limits, runs the county jail, and serves warrants.
- Criminal District Attorney (Jerry Rochelle) — prosecutes felony and misdemeanor criminal cases on behalf of the county. First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp won the 2026 Republican primary and is expected to become Bowie County’s next district attorney.
- District Courts — the 5th, 102nd and 202nd Judicial District Courts handle felonies and major civil and family-law cases.
- County Court at Law (Judge Craig L. Henry) — handles misdemeanors, smaller civil suits and probate.
- Justices of the Peace — five JP precincts handle small-claims and minor (fine-only) criminal cases, traffic matters and evictions, and serve as magistrates.
- Constables — serve court papers and provide security and law-enforcement support to the JP courts.
The county offices you actually use
These elected offices handle the paperwork of daily life. Here is what each one does for you, and who holds it as of June 2026.
| Office | What it does for you |
|---|---|
| County Clerk Tina Petty | Property records and deeds, marriage licenses, assumed-name (DBA) filings and vital records. |
| District Clerk Lori Caraway | Keeps district-court records — felony, civil and family/divorce cases — and manages juries. |
| Tax Assessor-Collector Trina McEntire | Collects property taxes, registers vehicles and issues titles, and oversees voter registration. |
| County Treasurer | The county’s banker — safekeeps, invests and pays out county funds. |
| County Auditor (appointed) | Appointed by the district judges, not elected. Provides financial oversight and audits county claims and accounts. |
How the county is funded
Bowie County runs mainly on property taxes, plus fees (vehicle registration, court costs and records) and state and federal funds. Each year the Commissioners Court adopts a budget and sets the county property tax rate at public meetings — the clearest point where residents can speak up about how their money is spent.
How to take part
- Attend the Commissioners Court. Meetings are public; use the county’s Public Participation Form to sign up to speak.
- Vote. County offices are partisan and elected to four-year terms, with many on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. See TXK Today’s Bowie County voting guide for how and when to vote.
- Look it up. Find your officials, meeting agendas and county services on the county website, co.bowie.tx.us.
Key contacts & resources
New Boston, TX 75570
Texarkana, TX 75501
TXK Today’s guides are a free community resource for the Texarkana region. Officeholders, meeting times and county services can change, and county offices are on the ballot in 2026. Always confirm current officials and details with Bowie County before you rely on them. This guide is nonpartisan and is not legal advice.
Sources: Bowie County (co.bowie.tx.us), the Texas Association of Counties, and the U.S. Census Bureau.