Who is the Union County Assessor?

Michelle Barksdale is the Assessor of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County Circuit Clerk?

Cheryl Cochran-Wilson is the Circuit Clerk of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County Collector?

Karen Scott is the Collector of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County County Clerk?

Mandi Fudge (Republican) is the County Clerk of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County County Judge?

Michael Loftin is the County Judge of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County Sheriff?

Ricky Roberts is the Sheriff of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County Treasurer?

Jody Cunningham (Republican) is the Treasurer of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

What is the population of Union County?

About 37,900 people, with a median age of 41.4; the median household income is $55,259 and 19.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in Union County?

4.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 696 people unemployed in a labor force of 15,806, against 5.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).

How many local governments are there in Union County?

25 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 8 municipal, 5 school district and 11 special district governments.

Union 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 Union County: 7 seats on 7 elected bodies. 7 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Assessor	Michelle Barksdale source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Circuit Clerk	Cheryl Cochran-Wilson source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Collector	Karen Scott source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Clerk	Mandi Fudge Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Judge	Michael Loftin source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Sheriff	Ricky Roberts source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Treasurer	Jody Cunningham Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Union County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 25 local governments in Union County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of government	Census count (2022)	Listed on this page
County government	1	0
Cities, towns, villages and townships	8	0
School districts (school boards)	5	0
Special districts (elected boards)	11	0

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

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 Union County

37,900people

41.4median ageU.S.: 38.9

$55,259 household incomeU.S.: $80,734

19.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%

19.1%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%

$120,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700

5.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%

3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%

7.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%

5.6%U.S.: 8.4%

44.4%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%

29.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.7% · White 59.4% · Black 32.1% · Asian 0.9% · Other or more than one race 2.9% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

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 Union County

4.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 5.2%. Arkansas: 3.7%.

696people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.

15,110people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.

15,806in the September 2026, preliminary.

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years

Month	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)	4.4%	696	15,110	15,806
August 2026	4.6%	723	15,003	15,726
July 2026	5.3%	836	14,792	15,628
June 2026	5.0%	803	15,309	16,112
May 2026	4.5%	716	15,082	15,798
April 2026	4.5%	714	15,048	15,762
March 2026	5.1%	809	15,063	15,872
February 2026	5.4%	855	15,020	15,875
January 2026	6.1%	947	14,640	15,587
December 2025	5.2%	818	14,894	15,712
November 2025	5.1%	808	14,951	15,759
October 2025	not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025	5.2%	818	14,939	15,757
August 2025	5.6%	898	15,132	16,030
July 2025	6.1%	968	14,817	15,785
June 2025	5.5%	884	15,083	15,967
May 2025	5.2%	823	14,958	15,781
April 2025	4.8%	766	15,123	15,889
March 2025	5.2%	825	14,943	15,768
February 2025	5.7%	906	14,858	15,764
January 2025	5.9%	934	14,774	15,708
December 2024	5.2%	811	14,857	15,668
November 2024	5.2%	818	14,977	15,795
October 2024	5.2%	819	15,069	15,888

Yearly averages

Year	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
2025 (11 months)	5.4%	859	14,952	15,811
2024	5.0%	799	15,189	15,988
2023	4.1%	651	15,367	16,018
2022	4.2%	674	15,287	15,961
2021	5.6%	897	15,131	16,028
2020	7.9%	1,310	15,239	16,549
2019	4.8%	812	16,016	16,828
2018	5.1%	870	16,196	17,066
2017	5.0%	858	16,372	17,230
2016	5.1%	896	16,638	17,534

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Arkansas's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.9% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Union County

820.7 per 100,0002024. Arkansas: 586.8.

2,153.3 per 100,0002024. Arkansas: 1,945.2.

3murders2024, 303 violent crimes in all.

2024 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years

Year	Violent	Rate	Property	Rate
2024	303	820.7	795	2,153.3
2023	377	1,012.2	774	2,078.1
2022	380	1,004.4	776	2,051.1
2021	348	885.0	746	1,897.1
2020	302	754.2	1,032	2,577.2
2019	299	740.3	1,269	3,141.9
2018	256	627.4	1,347	3,301.0
2017	255	615.8	1,155	2,789.2
2016	243	584.1	1,335	3,208.8

By police agency (3)

Agency	Year	Violent	Property	People served
Union County Sheriff's Office	2025	71	257	18,651
El Dorado Police Department	2025	249	472	16,406
Smackover Police Department	2024	3	28	1,566

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Arkansas · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.29 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 36,617 people.

84sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.

32civilian staff2025, full-time.

Agencies counted (3), 2025

Agency	Officers	Civilians	People served
Union County Sheriff's Office	33	25	18,651
El Dorado Police Department	44	6	16,406
Smackover Police Department	7	1	1,560

Earlier years

Year	Officers	Per 1,000	Civilians	Agencies
2025	84	2.29	32	3
2024	87	2.36	52	3
2023	90	2.42	31	3
2022	83	2.19	51	3
2021	82	2.18	43	2
2020	82	2.14	52	2
2019	81	2.09	52	2
2018	84	2.15	48	2
2017	82	2.07	49	2
2016	87	2.18	44	2

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Union County Assessor?: Michelle Barksdale is the Assessor of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County Circuit Clerk?: Cheryl Cochran-Wilson is the Circuit Clerk of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County Collector?: Karen Scott is the Collector of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County County Clerk?: Mandi Fudge (Republican) is the County Clerk of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County County Judge?: Michael Loftin is the County Judge of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County Sheriff?: Ricky Roberts is the Sheriff of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County Treasurer?: Jody Cunningham (Republican) is the Treasurer of Union County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
What is the population of Union County?: About 37,900 people, with a median age of 41.4; the median household income is $55,259 and 19.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Union County?: 4.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 696 people unemployed in a labor force of 15,806, against 5.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Union County?: 25 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 8 municipal, 5 school district and 11 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 7, 2026, from Arkansas Legislative Audit's latest audit report for each county (the officers who held office at the end of that year); for justices of the peace, the county's own quorum court page where it has a current one, and otherwise, as for coroners and surveyors, the Secretary of State's certified results of each seat's last election on Arkansas Tally ENR (officials appointed since then may differ). A county's quorum court is shown only when at least three quarters of its districts' justices are known; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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