Counties are governed by an elected county board of supervisors — a legislative body — with day-to-day administration typically handled by an appointed administrator or coordinator, though 11 of the state's 72 counties instead have a separately elected county executive with veto power. Just as important for residents: Wisconsin's roughly 1,250 towns are full units of general-purpose government, not just service districts, so a town board often handles roads, zoning, and permitting that elsewhere would be a county's job. Depending on the issue, a resident may need to contact either their town board or their county board — worth checking both.