The independence of the judiciary, which, as suggested in the last section, has been preserved with peculiar care, involves also the exemption of the judges of the courts from any obligation to perform functions which are not judicial. There are in many states inferior tribunals of a mixed character such as the so-called county courts, the judges of which have administrative as well as judicial powers; but the courts provided for by the constitutions of the different states for the exercise of judicial power, and the judges thereof, are regarded as exempt from any duty to perform functions which properly belong to other departments of the government. Thus the judges cannot be required to act as commissioners of elections (Case of Supervisors of Elections) nor as trustees for the administration of municipal works such as waterworks (State v. Barker), or the like; and it may be stated as a general proposition that such authority cannot be exercised by them.