Few political positions promise as much freedom of action and enjoy as high a reputation as the office of the district administrator. Nevertheless, modern political science has not delved deeply into the role of district administrators until now. The author fills this research gap with a qualitatively and quantitatively grounded analysis. In comparing the states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, the history and formal framework of the office are described, before addressing career paths, actual positions, office management, and the understanding of the office among southern German district administrators. The guiding research question consistently asks whether different modes of election (popular election/committee election) affect the recruitment paths, actions, and self-image of the actors involved.