Johnson County, AR elected officials: the quorum court, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Johnson County: 17 seats on 7 elected bodies. 17 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Quorum Court
Johnson County Quorum Court
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Justice of the Peace, District 1 | Lewis “Ray” Hobbs source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 2 | Paula Ober source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 3 | Van Hill source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 4 | Bethany Bean source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 5 | Mike Estes source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 6 | John Payne source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 7 | Kris Muldoon source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 8 | Katie Howard source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 9 | Larry Jones source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 10 | Pete Petersen source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Justice of the Peace, District 11 | Bryan Cooper source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Assessor | Rusty Hardgrave source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Circuit Clerk | Monica King Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Clerk | Michelle Frost source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Judge | Herman Houston Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Sheriff | Tom Hughes source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Treasurer and Collector | Melanie Cowell source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
How many local governments Johnson County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 12 local governments in Johnson County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| County government | 1 | 1 |
| Cities, towns, villages and townships | 5 | 0 |
| School districts (school boards) | 3 | 0 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 3 | 0 |
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Johnson County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 13.9% · White 76.7% · Black 1.4% · Asian 3.3% · Other or more than one race 4.8% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Johnson County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 4.7% | 473 | 9,576 | 10,049 |
| August 2026 | 5.1% | 493 | 9,202 | 9,695 |
| July 2026 | 6.3% | 616 | 9,162 | 9,778 |
| June 2026 | 5.7% | 592 | 9,706 | 10,298 |
| May 2026 | 5.0% | 508 | 9,754 | 10,262 |
| April 2026 | 4.4% | 445 | 9,743 | 10,188 |
| March 2026 | 5.2% | 530 | 9,685 | 10,215 |
| February 2026 | 5.8% | 595 | 9,667 | 10,262 |
| January 2026 | 6.7% | 673 | 9,422 | 10,095 |
| December 2025 | 5.6% | 567 | 9,551 | 10,118 |
| November 2025 | 5.2% | 535 | 9,720 | 10,255 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 5.3% | 540 | 9,563 | 10,103 |
| August 2025 | 5.7% | 556 | 9,196 | 9,752 |
| July 2025 | 6.1% | 599 | 9,178 | 9,777 |
| June 2025 | 5.5% | 559 | 9,625 | 10,184 |
| May 2025 | 4.9% | 495 | 9,547 | 10,042 |
| April 2025 | 4.3% | 429 | 9,653 | 10,082 |
| March 2025 | 4.9% | 491 | 9,569 | 10,060 |
| February 2025 | 5.6% | 565 | 9,492 | 10,057 |
| January 2025 | 5.5% | 552 | 9,443 | 9,995 |
| December 2024 | 4.7% | 470 | 9,546 | 10,016 |
| November 2024 | 4.5% | 458 | 9,643 | 10,101 |
| October 2024 | 4.5% | 454 | 9,617 | 10,071 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 5.3% | 535 | 9,503 | 10,038 |
| 2024 | 5.1% | 517 | 9,648 | 10,165 |
| 2023 | 4.0% | 410 | 9,928 | 10,338 |
| 2022 | 3.8% | 391 | 10,027 | 10,418 |
| 2021 | 4.6% | 459 | 9,628 | 10,087 |
| 2020 | 6.2% | 636 | 9,638 | 10,274 |
| 2019 | 4.3% | 451 | 10,078 | 10,529 |
| 2018 | 4.3% | 459 | 10,164 | 10,623 |
| 2017 | 4.1% | 446 | 10,354 | 10,800 |
| 2016 | 4.5% | 492 | 10,333 | 10,825 |
Crime reported in Johnson County
Earlier years
| Year | Violent | Rate | Property | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 77 | 292.3 | 198 | 751.7 |
| 2024 | 103 | 391.9 | 282 | 1,073.0 |
| 2023 | 117 | 446.8 | 299 | 1,141.7 |
| 2022 | 86 | 330.2 | 304 | 1,167.1 |
| 2021 | 141 | 533.0 | 320 | 1,209.6 |
| 2020 | 122 | 457.0 | 359 | 1,344.9 |
| 2019 | 71 | 264.8 | 381 | 1,421.0 |
| 2018 | 65 | 243.8 | 529 | 1,984.0 |
| 2017 | 90 | 342.0 | 647 | 2,458.9 |
| 2016 | 70 | 266.8 | 650 | 2,477.1 |
By police agency (3)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County Sheriff's Office | 2025 | 44 | 67 | 14,892 |
| Clarksville Police Department | 2025 | 32 | 119 | 9,667 |
| Lamar Police Department | 2025 | 1 | 12 | 1,782 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (3), 2025
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County Sheriff's Office | 38 | 18 | 14,892 |
| Clarksville Police Department | 19 | 2 | 9,667 |
| Lamar Police Department | 4 | 0 | 1,782 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61 | 2.32 | 20 | 3 |
| 2024 | 49 | 1.86 | 16 | 3 |
| 2023 | 47 | 1.79 | 26 | 3 |
| 2022 | 45 | 1.73 | 26 | 3 |
| 2021 | 43 | 1.63 | 19 | 3 |
| 2019 | 34 | 1.27 | 27 | 3 |
| 2018 | 37 | 1.39 | 31 | 3 |
| 2017 | 38 | 1.44 | 31 | 3 |
| 2016 | 37 | 1.41 | 33 | 3 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Johnson County Assessor?
- Rusty Hardgrave is the Assessor of Johnson County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Johnson County Circuit Clerk?
- Monica King (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk of Johnson County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Johnson County County Clerk?
- Michelle Frost is the County Clerk of Johnson County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Johnson County County Judge?
- Herman Houston (Republican) is the County Judge of Johnson County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Johnson County Sheriff?
- Tom Hughes is the Sheriff of Johnson County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Johnson County Treasurer and Collector?
- Melanie Cowell is the Treasurer and Collector of Johnson County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Johnson County commissioners?
- Lewis “Ray” Hobbs (Justice of the Peace, District 1); Paula Ober (Justice of the Peace, District 2); Van Hill (Justice of the Peace, District 3); Bethany Bean (Justice of the Peace, District 4); Mike Estes (Justice of the Peace, District 5); John Payne (Justice of the Peace, District 6); Kris Muldoon (Justice of the Peace, District 7); Katie Howard (Justice of the Peace, District 8); Larry Jones (Justice of the Peace, District 9); Pete Petersen (Justice of the Peace, District 10); Bryan Cooper (Justice of the Peace, District 11).
- What is the population of Johnson County?
- About 26,003 people, with a median age of 39.1; the median household income is $45,995 and 19.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Johnson County?
- 4.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 473 people unemployed in a labor force of 10,049, against 5.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Johnson County?
- 12 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 3 school district and 3 special district governments.
Johnson County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Arkansas county · Arkansas's members of Congress
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