Although many voters may know who is running for president or even for state representative, lesser known positions near the bottom of the ballot often go overlooked. In Harris County, there are 16 Justice of the Peace positions, two of which are up for election this year. In Fort Bend County, there are five places and one is up for election. Here is everything you need to know about what a Justice of the Peace is responsible for: What does a Justice of the Peace do? According to the Texas Association of Counties, these elected officials can:

• hear cases on traffic violations and other Class C misdemeanor cases
• hear truancy cases
• rule on landlord and tenant disputes
• perform marriages

What requirements do they need to run for office?  According to the Texas Secretary of State's website, a Justice of the Peace must be a U.S. citizen, a Texas resident for at least 12 months and be registered to vote in their district. While many states require justices to be an attorney in good standing, Texas does not require that a justice be a practicing lawyer or judge. How long do they serve? A Justice of the Peace serves for four years. Who is on the ballot this year? Harris County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 1 Lincoln Goodwin-R Vicky Printers Reynolds-D Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 1 Russ Ridgeway-R William "Bill" McLeod-D Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 1 Gary D. Jansen-R Write-in option   Note: The above list of candidates is for contested races in Community Impact Newspapers' market areas. For a complete list of races, visit www.harrisvotes.com.