In the southern colonies, how was government typically administered at the county level?

In the southern colonies, government at the county level was typically administered by law-enforcing sheriffs. These sheriffs played a crucial role in local governance, overseeing law enforcement, tax collection, and maintaining order within their jurisdictions. The county system was essential in the southern colonies due to the vast rural areas and the plantation economy, which necessitated a structured form of local governance to manage land and enforce laws.

Elected officials were certainly part of governance, but their influence at the county level was more about formal representation rather than the direct enforcement of laws and day-to-day operations handled by sheriffs. Town councils were more common in New England rather than in the southern colonies, where the county system prevailed. State legislatures were responsible for broader legislative functions but did not govern local matters directly at the county level. Thus, the role of sheriffs was paramount in maintaining order and administering government functions locally in the southern colonies.