Forms of Address
How to address local and county officials
Most elected local officials — councilmembers, selectmen, sheriffs, district attorneys — are addressed as "The Honorable [Full Name]" with their specific office on the next line, and a matching "Dear [Title] [Last Name]:" salutation. Appointed administrative officials, like a city or county manager, use a professional title, "Mr./Ms. [Full Name], [Title]," rather than The Honorable.
Checked September 10, 2026/8 min read
Written by Claire PostReviewed against USPS Publication 28
What is on this page6 sections
Local and county government produces more distinct job titles than any other cluster on this site, and most of them are too specific to any one jurisdiction to justify a dedicated page each. What they share is a small set of rules that apply once you know which bucket a given title falls into.
The real dividing line is elected versus appointed, not how important the job sounds. A sheriff and a city manager can run offices of similar size and visibility, but only one of them gets The Honorable, because only one of them holds the position through election.
Step by step
Check whether the office is elected or appointed
Elected local officials, city council members, county commissioners, sheriffs, district attorneys, get The Honorable. Appointed administrative roles, like a city manager or county administrator, use a professional courtesy title instead, since The Honorable is reserved for officeholders who hold public office through election or a formal commission, not staff hired to run day-to-day operations.
THE HONORABLE DIANE M FOSTERSHERIFF OF MARION COUNTY40 S ALABAMA STINDIANAPOLIS IN 46204CorrectAn elected county sheriff. Use the office title directly in the salutation
"Dear Sheriff [Last Name]:", "Dear Councilmember [Last Name]:", "Dear District Attorney [Last Name]:" — the pattern holds across nearly every local title: the specific office name, then the last name.
Use Mr./Ms. plus the title for appointed administrators
"Mr./Ms. [Full Name], City Manager" or "County Administrator" on the envelope, with a standard "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:" salutation, since these are professional, not honorific, positions.
Confirm the exact title used locally before writing
The same job goes by different names in different places — Selectman in New England towns, Alderman in some cities, Councilmember in most others. Check the specific jurisdiction own terminology rather than assuming one term applies everywhere.
Quick reference
| Title | Envelope opens with | Salutation |
|---|---|---|
| Selectman / Select Board Member | The Honorable [Full Name] | Dear Selectman/Select Board Member [Last Name]: |
| School Board Member | The Honorable [Full Name] | Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]: |
| City / County Manager (appointed) | Mr./Ms. [Full Name], City/County Manager | Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]: |
| County Administrator / Executive | The Honorable [Full Name] (if elected) or Mr./Ms. (if appointed) | Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]: |
| Alderman / Councilmember | The Honorable [Full Name] | Dear Councilmember [Last Name]: |
| Assemblymember (state legislature) | The Honorable [Full Name] | Dear Assemblymember [Last Name]: |
| Board Chair | The Honorable [Full Name] | Dear Chair [Last Name]: |
| Police Chief (appointed) | Chief [Full Name] | Dear Chief [Last Name]: |
| Sheriff (elected) | The Honorable [Full Name], Sheriff of [County] | Dear Sheriff [Last Name]: |
| District Attorney | The Honorable [Full Name] | Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]: or Dear District Attorney [Last Name]: |
| US Marshal | The Honorable [Full Name], United States Marshal | Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]: |
| State Delegate | The Honorable [Full Name] | Dear Delegate [Last Name]: |
Special cases
The rule above covers most people. Here is what changes for the rest.
Is a tribal official addressed the same way as a county official?
The Honorable applies to most elected tribal leadership positions, but the specific office title should reflect the nation own government structure rather than a generic county term. Confirm the preferred wording directly with the tribal government where possible.
Does Freeholder still get used anywhere, or is it outdated?
Freeholder was the traditional term for a county governing-board member in New Jersey but was formally phased out in favor of "County Commissioner" starting in 2021. Use County Commissioner for current correspondence; Freeholder may still appear in older records or historical references.
Why does District Attorney have two accepted salutations?
Some jurisdictions and individuals prefer the formal office title directly, "Dear District Attorney [Last Name]:", while a plain "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:" is also broadly accepted, similar to the flexibility seen with a US Representative and "Congressman/Congresswoman."
Key terms on this page
- The Honorable
- A courtesy title used before the full name of a current or former holder of an elected public office.
- Appointed administrator
- A local government professional, like a city manager, hired rather than elected to run day-to-day operations, addressed with a professional title instead of The Honorable.