Ohio county government is the structure of official managerial and legal bodies of the
counties of
Ohio, USA. It is marked by a loose organization and a diffusion of power, the basic framework not having been changed since the Nineteenth century. The
Ohio Constitution allows counties to set up a
charter government as many cities and villages do, but only
Summit and
Cuyahoga counties have done so. Counties operating under a constitutional government do not possess
home rule powers and can do only what has been expressly authorized by the
Ohio General Assembly. However, Article X of the Ohio Constitution gives county government benefits similar to those conferred on cities and villages under the home rule amendments of 1912.