Bent County, CO elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Bent County: 8 seats on 6 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Bent County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Jennifer Scofield Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Alan Stump Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Phil Hemphill Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorGuy F. Wagner Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk and RecorderLynda G. Moss Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerJason Nichols Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffJake R. Six Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
TreasurerKathryn L. Brown Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Bent County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 15 local governments in Bent County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships10
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)110

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 Bent County

5,549people
40.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$50,179 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
28.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
15.7%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$146,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
7.4%U.S.: 8.4%
58.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
40.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 32.5% · White 53.7% · Black 3.2% · Asian 0.9% · Other or more than one race 9.7% (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 Bent County

4.9%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.7%. Colorado: 4.4%.
81people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
1,559people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
1,640in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Bent County 0.0%2.0%4.0%6.1%8.1% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.9%811,5591,640
August 20265.2%871,5931,680
July 20264.7%761,5401,616
June 20264.4%721,5701,642
May 20264.1%681,6041,672
April 20263.7%621,5991,661
March 20264.0%651,5741,639
February 20264.7%771,5461,623
January 20265.0%801,5131,593
December 20254.2%691,5681,637
November 20254.9%791,5491,628
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.7%791,5971,676
August 20254.8%811,6091,690
July 20255.0%831,5921,675
June 20254.1%711,6471,718
May 20254.3%751,6771,752
April 20253.8%661,6761,742
March 20254.6%821,6841,766
February 20255.1%891,6441,733
January 20255.4%931,6191,712
December 20245.1%881,6411,729
November 20245.8%991,5961,695
October 20245.0%901,7091,799
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.6%791,6241,703
20244.8%841,6681,752
20233.9%671,6591,726
20224.4%731,5981,671
20217.7%1291,5531,682
20204.6%801,6431,723
20193.2%571,7101,767
20183.5%621,7041,766
20172.9%521,7611,813
20163.2%571,7251,782

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. Colorado's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.1% 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 Bent County

181.9 per 100,0002025. Colorado: 421.7.
1,237.0 per 100,0002025. Colorado: 2,143.6.
0murders2025, 15 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202515181.91021,237.0
202413158.5981,195.1
202310129.8811,051.1
20229108.1961,153.6
20218109.858795.9
202017224.01141,502.0
201918226.41762,213.3
201832397.61872,323.6
201711139.01111,402.2
2016788.71391,760.6
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Bent County Sheriff's Office2025151025,868

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 Colorado · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.56 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 5,868 people.
15sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
23civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Bent County Sheriff's Office15235,868
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025152.56231
2024172.93211
2023101.86191
2022111.87201
2021132.51281
2020132.39171
2019132.25171
201881.36121
2017111.92151
2016132.28141

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 Bent County Assessor?
Guy F. Wagner (Democratic) is the Assessor of Bent County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Bent County Clerk and Recorder?
Lynda G. Moss (Democratic) is the Clerk and Recorder of Bent County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Bent County Coroner?
Jason Nichols (Republican) is the Coroner of Bent County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Bent County Sheriff?
Jake R. Six (Republican) is the Sheriff of Bent County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Bent County Treasurer?
Kathryn L. Brown (Republican) is the Treasurer of Bent County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Bent County commissioners?
Jennifer Scofield (District 1); Alan Stump (District 2); Phil Hemphill (District 3).
What is the population of Bent County?
About 5,549 people, with a median age of 40.6; the median household income is $50,179 and 28.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Bent County?
4.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 81 people unemployed in a labor force of 1,640, against 4.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Bent County?
15 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 1 municipal, 2 school district and 11 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Colorado Secretary of State's 2023-2024 Biennial Abstract directory of county officers, with districts and parties from the Secretary of State's certified 2022 and 2024 general election results; officials appointed since it was published may differ; 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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